The Papers: ‘Rayner on the Rampage’ and ‘My big sister Kate’
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Concerns over government spending cuts lead a couple of front pages. The Daily Mail reports that Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is “at war” with Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves over plans to slash her department’s budget. The paper says the housing secretary was involved in a “series of increasingly heated meetings”, where Rayner reportedly complained “forcibly” over the possible reductions.
The government’s child poverty strategy has been postponed until at least the autumn, according to the Guardian’s front page. The paper says the move risks making it more likely tens of thousands of children may fall into poverty, adding that the delay is over concerns from Treasury officials about the cost of scrapping the two-child benefit limit.
But plans to open a network of mental health A&Es across the UK is the lead story in the Times, which says the specialist units will help “relieve pressure” on hospitals and emergency services. They will allow patients to walk into a much calmer environment than most wards, building on work of 10 NHS trusts who set up similar units already, according to the paper.
US President Donald Trump’s threats to impose higher EU tariffs lead the FT Weekend, which notes the rate would more than double the levy proposed by the US president last month. The FT reports that the German economy could fall by 1.7% over three years, according to one analysis, adding that EU officials had been blindsided by the announcement on Friday.
The Daily Mirror has interviewed the brother of the Princess of Wales, James Middleton. He has told the paper about his special bond with Catherine and how she, alongside their other sister Pippa, had helped him cope with mental health problems. “They’ve seen me at my lowest. Sibling love is one of the most powerful bonds there is,” he added.
The Daily Telegraph reports on a Jewish protester being arrested after holding a cartoon mocking the killing of a former Hezbollah leader. The paper says the man, who held up a sign satirising the death of Hassan Nasrallah and other Hezbollah members, was detained and charged last year after counter-demonstrating at a pro-Palestine march. Cartoonist Matt has a wry take on the Chagos Islands deal, drawing a man selling copies of “Keir Starmer: The Art of the Deal” with the caption: “The book is free and you’ll receive £101 million for the next 99 years.”
Feargal Sharkey has given an interview to the Daily Express being diagnosed with and being treated for prostate cancer. The environmental campaigner and former rock star urges men to get checked for the disease, as his was discovered following an unrelated visit to the doctor about a sore throat. Sharkey also told the paper the issue had been “resolved” a year ago and he was doing “very well”. He vowed to continue campaigning for clean rivers.
Miss England has quit the Miss World beauty pageant saying she felt exploited by the organisers, according to the Sun’s reporting. The paper says Mila Magee leaving the contest in India was over disliking feeling “farmed out” to wealthy male sponsors, describing the competition as being “stuck in the past”.
The Daily Star returns to the topic of Trump, reporting on a speech given by a certain very green frog puppet at a graduation ceremony for university students. In the speech, the Star reports, the beloved children’s character “mocked orange manbaby Donald Trump”.
