Update: Are the lines being drawn for a new union vs coalition battle? The Northern TUC has just tweeted the following: 

Listen to our Regional Secretary @rowantuc on R4's Today programme tomorrow at 8.10am on new Govt attack on region's public sector workers.

He's already described as provocative and branded it as an attack on the North, with fears it will lead to lower wages for workers doing the same job as their counterparts in the south.

Will George Osborne do enough to help keep hundreds of workers in jobs today?

I ask the question because Rio Tinto Alcan is planning to close the smelter in Lynemouth - with green taxes getting much of the blame.

Speculation is growing that he could announce a package worth around £250m to help energy intensive industries mitigate the impact of carbon taxes. Now, this could be the Government's long promised package of support for the sector.

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude yesterday warned the Government could impose a less "generous" settlement if unions failed to reach agreement over changes to pensions within weeks.

"I don't think the public would be very tolerant of us, both sticking with a generous offer and putting up with continuing industrial action which imposes a cost on the country," said Mr Maude, who insisted the Government wasn't relishing the dispute.

Reforms were needed because people were living longer, said Mr Maude, and a fairer balance between taxpayers and public sectors was needed.

He acknowledged a "public sector recession" was underway, but said union leaders were to blame for forcing a damaging and unnecessary strike on their members.

Namaste from Nepal, today I trekked up the lower Khumbu valley to the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar at 3,400m. Namche is a wonderful place, there are no roads in the valley but Namche has everything you could ever need: 2 bakeries, 3 bars, a camera shop, 3 mini-markets and plenty of other souvenir or food shops. It's an amazing village situated in a large bowl with fantastic views to the opposite side of the valley.

It was a truly horrifying way to end what was a positive weekend as far as results go for Newcastle United. It doesn't seem right to look back on the Man Utd. game - even though it was full of talking points and incidents. But when you lose "one of your own", a player who never gave less than 100% in a Newcastle shirt in this manner, then football takes something of a back foot.

THE North is facing years of unemployment hell while the South roars ahead.

Experts say job levels in the North East and West Midlands will only return to 1990 levels by 2020 - some way off a peak in terms of employment seen in 2008.

The most recent official figures showed 146,000 people were unemployed in the North East between July and September, 20,000 more than in the previous quarter. Its unemployment rate was 11.6% - the highest of any region.

In Yorkshire, the picture is little better with employment only returning to that 2008 peak in 2019 and a year earlier in the North West.

The coalition is "acutely conscious" of the need to show it doesn't just care about the South East, but the North as well.

That's what one well-placed Government insider told me ahead of George Osborne's autumn statement - which is being seen as a mini-budget.

"It is going to be difficult because it is difficult economic times, but as we have already shown we will continue to do things that help all regions and not just the City of London," they said.

I asked whether the regional growth fund would be extended. The answer was don't rule it out.

I am writing this despatch from the village of Tok Tok (2,400m) in the Khumbu valley having flown from Kathmandu (the capital of Nepal) to the Himalayan foothills this morning. We're on an expedition to a mountain named Ama Dablam (6,812m), our trek started today.

Guy Opperman, Tory MP for Hexham, is a serious fan of horse-racing. He is the only jockey in the House of Commons, a former horse racing journalist.

He has also worked in horse sales, bred racehorses and worked as a stable lad. Mr Opperman also told a recent Parliamentary debate that he is also in a syndicate with a part share in pointers and a chaser.

And the Conservative MP also revealed his bookmaking background: "At age 11, at school, I survived by running an illegal bookmaking operation, which well and truly persuaded me that the bookmaker will always be one step ahead of the punter.

I have arrived in Kathmandu - the ancient capital of the Himalayan kingdom Nepal. I'm writing this despatch from the balcony of a comfortable $10 a night hotel, high above the hustle and bustle of the tourist area Thamel. The skies are clear with a hint of smog drifting through, and the occasional drone of light aircraft taking trekkers to the foothills of the Himalaya to start their adventure.