Union fury at 'aliens' Jap jibe .sx Leftie rapped .sx By Patrick Hennessy .sx HARD-Left union leader Ken Gill was branded a racist in a row over Japanese companies yesterday .sx Mr Gill of the MSF manufacturing union claimed they brought an " alien approach " to a British business .sx He said Jap firms forced unions into undignified " beauty contests " where they had to fight each other for single-union deals to represent all workers in a plant .sx Backing But engineers' leader Gavin Laird told the TUC conference in Glasgow that Mr Gill was guilty of " sheer hypocrisy " and racism .sx He said the MSF itself was involved in a " beauty contest " to represent 1,700 workers at a new Toyota car plant .sx And he said Mr Gill's attack on the Japanese was a " racist and negative piece of contraband .sx " .sx But the conference backed Mr Gill and turned its back on single-union deals .sx The row wrecked the carefully-staged show of unity which TUC chief Norman Willis had worked for .sx Gorby treaty to cut Soviet power .sx PRESIDENT Mikhail Gorbachev and 10 Soviet republics yesterday launched plans for a new-look USSR .sx Gorby and leaders of 10 of the 15 republics revealed the shake-up of the country's constitution to the Congress of Deputies .sx They called for a new treaty allowing each republic to decide how closely it was linked to the Soviet government .sx Temporary committees would run the country until the new constitution was ready .sx Decision Meanwhile , President Bush yesterday said the U.S. was ready to set up diplomatic relations with the Baltic states " immediately" .sx The U.S. had always backed their independence , and would do " whatever it could to help , " he said .sx Mr Bush said he would send a diplomat to the Baltics to help carry out his decision .sx NEW liberal KGB chief Vadim Bakatin said yesterday he wants his organisation to co-operate with British secret services .sx 5 things to remember before going in November .sx By TREVOR KAVANAGH , Political Editor .sx THERE are five good reasons why Prime Minister John Major will think long and hard before firing the starting gun for a November election .sx First , recent opinion polls are the only ones for many months to show the Tories in the lead .sx Mr Major says he doesn't trust individual " snapshots " of voting trends .sx But he has noted the sudden drop on Labour's support - well below the crucial 40 per cent for the first time this year - and the country's growing confidence over the state of the economy .sx Second , previous Tory governments have been wrong-footed by opinion polls , especially in 1964 when Labour ended 13 years of Tory rule .sx Power But then Labour was led by Harold Wilson , regarded as the most dynamic politician of the age .sx No one could say the same for Neil Kinnock , whose popularity slumps further in every poll as John Major's grows .sx Third , the Tories risk the worst of all possible worlds with a hung parliament and the tiny party of Liberal Democrats ruling the roost by holding the balance of power .sx This is the real spectre that haunts Mr Major , who does not believe Labour can win outright .sx It explains why he has been so nice to Liberal leader Paddy Ashdown and to Dr David Owen , even though his SDP is virtually extinct .sx Fourth , opinion poll leads can evaporate overnight .sx Much of Mr Major's growing popularity has emerged after his headline-grabbing visits to American President George Bush , the Soviet Union's Mikhail Gorbachev and Russia's Boris Yeltsin , and the rulers of Red China .sx But globe-trotting statesmanship is quickly forgotten when people come to put their cross on a ballot paper .sx Ballot John Major knows this .sx He has told friends the election will be decided by the state of the economy and how voters feel about their own personal prospects .sx That's why he triggered this week's surprise cut in mortgages , well before anyone predicted it .sx This dramatically alters Chancellor Norman Lamont's deliberate policy of letting the City adjust to the idea of lower interest rates before he cuts them .sx It also gives the Prime Minister time for another cut before November .sx In the meantime , he is delighted with statements from economists and bankers that the recession is all but over .sx Fifth , and decisively , is the question mark over the real level of support for the Government .sx Tory experts believe Mr Major needs eight weeks with a lead of at least five per cent .sx Most governments lose support during election campaigns , although Mrs Thatcher broke the pattern in 1987 by remaining steady from beginning to end .sx Lead So Mr Major needs a commanding eight to 10 per cent margin over Labour as he crosses the starting line .sx If he has that sort of lead by the time he addresses the Tory Party conference in October , forget about the four other reasons for caution .sx He will be about to name the day .sx BT STRIKE THREAT OVER PLANS TO CHOP 1,000 .sx More 192 staff hit .sx By PATRICK HENNESSY and MARK SOLOMONS .sx FURIOUS union leaders last night threatened an all-out strike over plans by British Telecom to sack another 1,000 operators .sx Those threatened are directory inquiry staff following a dramatic fall in 192 calls since the introduction of the 44.5p charge .sx Communication workers boss Alan Tuffin stormed at the TUC conference :sx " How can a company that is awash with money treat people in this way ?sx " BT used to be known as a caring company but they have now lost that image .sx " BT - which makes profits of pounds105 a second - plan to axe 6,500 operator jobs by the end of 1992 .sx The further 1,000 jobs will go as part of BT's proposals to close 17 directory inquiry centres .sx The communications union claim 1,100 jobs will go in total .sx Mr Tuffin said the company's 20,000 operators would be balloted on strike action .sx He also warned they could pull the plug on 999 calls for the first time .sx Union leaders say the workers - who have an average of between 10 and 20 years service - deserve better redundancy packages .sx Most of those set to go are women earning around pounds168 a week .sx Mr Tuffin told the Glasgow conference that he would appeal to BT's pounds536,000-a-year chairman , Iain Vallance , to come up with a better deal .sx He said :sx " We will recommend the 20,000 operators vote to strike .sx " Traditionally we arrange cover for emergency service calls .sx But that is a matter for my national executive .sx " .sx BT claims 192 calls have fallen 25 per cent since the introduction of the 44.5p charge .sx GRIM TASK - Mr Major inspects troops next to Tiananmen Square yesterday followed by " Butcher " Li Peng who ordered the student massacre there in 1989 .sx SCREAMING MOB HOWL DOWN PM's SPEECH .sx From TREVOR KAVANAGH in Peking .sx PREMIER John Major was drowned out by a screaming mob last night as he warned the Butcher of Tiananmen Square that China faced the same fate as Communist Russia .sx His speech could not be heard as Chinese officials suddenly bundled newsmen out of Peking's Great Hall of the People in an astonishing display of diplomatic bad manners .sx The Chinese had hoped to turn the visit into a propaganda coup .sx But they were clearly taken aback by the Premier's blunt opening address .sx Shouts of " Out - now " started up as Mr Major told Chinese Premier Li Peng :sx " The old order is changing .sx " .sx His voice was drowned out by Chinese guards who pushed members of the British party , including the press , out of the room .sx Norma Major looked on amazed but Mr Li watched without raising a finger .sx Reporters and cameramen were kneed in the back and equipment clattered to the floor making the translation of Mr Major's remarks almost inaudible to his hardline host .sx Mr Li was responsible for the massacre of hundreds of students when he ordered tanks to crush a pro-democracy rally in Tiananmen Square in 1989 .sx Shots rang out over the square - roped off to the citizens of Peking - as Chinese troops fired a 19-gun salute in Mr Major's honour .sx Changing Premier Li , desperate to win a face-saving return to the world community , welcomed Mr Major with hopes of a new understanding .sx But his smile faded as Mr Major , angered by claims he is giving China a propaganda coup , warned him Communism was on the way out .sx I have just come from Moscow , " he said .sx " We live in a changing world in which events move rapidly , sometimes in an unexpected way .sx " .sx Chinese leaders traditionally ignore any reference to their appalling human rights record by foreign visitors .sx But as he flew into Peking from Moscow , Mr Major said :sx " An important part of the dialogue will be on human rights .sx .sx " China has been through a period of isolation .sx It needs people going in and telling it what the world thinks .sx " .sx KINNOCK LOW-PAY " U-TURN " .sx By EBEN BLACK .sx LABOUR leader Neil Kinnock was accused last night of doing a U-turn over moves to boost wages for the low-paid if he comes to power .sx His party has promised to give all workers a minimum pounds3 .sx 40 an hour - but Mr Kinnock has now admitted that plans to further boost the figure to pounds4 .sx 50 will be shelved for five years .sx Employment Secretary Michael Howard said :sx " Mr Kinnock's latest U-turn on the minimum wage shows he has the consistency of a weathercock .sx He can run but he cannot hide on this issue .sx " Mr Kinnock told the business magazine Director that Labour would " promptly " introduce the pounds3 .sx 40 minimum - half the national average .sx But he added :sx " Any advance on that is going to be entirely dependent on the performance of the economy .sx " .sx The Tories claim Labour's plans will cost up to two million jobs .sx WE WILL CUT ARMS FOR AID PLEDGE GORBY MEN .sx From TREVOR KAVANAGH in Moscow .sx JOHN MAJOR last night won huge concessions from Soviet leaders when they pledged to cut arms spending in return for Western aid .sx They also promised to start scrapping state control and make major strides towards a capitalist-style economy .sx Mr Major - whose statesmanship has hoisted the Tories into a two-point poll lead over Labour - was the first Western leader to visit the Kremlin since the failed Red coup .sx During nine hours of talks with Mikhail Gorbachev , Boris Yeltsin and their aides , he told them there would not be cash aid until military spending was cut .sx Russian prime minister Ivan Silaev told Mr Major :sx " We would expect defence spending in 1992 to be slashed and cut considerably over the medium term .sx " .sx Mr Major was delighted when Mr Silaev admitted the West was right to demand reforms .sx And he was taken aback when top economist Girgory Yavlinsky said too much aid could be harmful unless the country transforms its bankrupt system .sx Close Mr Major is ready now to trigger food and technical aid from the G7 group of richest nations , of which he is current chairman .sx He will also offer to send in experts on food retailing from giants like Tesco and corner shop co-ops like Spar .sx The West will also help the economies of Hungary , Poland and Czechoslovakia by giving Soviet food credits to spend in their former satellite neighbours .sx Mr Major later praised Gorbachev's courage during the failed coup .sx But he stressed he believes Yeltsin is the man for the future .sx He said :sx " His leadership will be essential .sx Unions to snub Tory jobs plan .sx By PATRICK HENNESSY .sx A PLAN to help 60,000 jobless youngsters find work each year will be rejected by the TUC conference today .sx The Government's pounds180 million Employment Action scheme , starting next month , enables young people to do community work if they cannot get jobs .sx But NALGO local government workers , led by Alan Jinkinson , last night claimed the plan was " disgraceful .sx " .sx Boycott A spokesman said :sx " Under this , the unemployed would work on community projects for a derisory pounds10 a week on top of benefit .sx " .sx Ron Todd's giant TGWU also opposes the scheme - making a boycott certain to be approved at by the TUC in Glasgow .sx MR TODD last night refused to back miners' boss Arthur Scargill's strikers' charter , urging Labour to scrap anti-union laws .sx He said :sx " I don't want a return to flying pickets .sx " .sx