Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Monday’s papers have a variety of stories dominating the front pages, including the ‘fuel duty cut’ and President Zelensky’s address to Israel.
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The Daily Express reports that Rishi Sunak is “poised” to cut fuel duty. The paper reports Mr Sunak has acknowledged that pump prices are “one of the biggest bills people face” and he has pledged to make a difference.
The Daily Mirror reports on the deadline for P&O bosses to explain the decision to sack 800 workers. The government has given P&O Ferries until 17:00 GMT on Tuesday to explain the decision. The paper claims ministers knew on Wednesday what P&O bosses were intending to do, but failed to act. Labour is attempting to force a vote banning “fire and rehire”, the paper reports.
The Sun leads with calls for the chancellor to cut fuel duty. The paper says Sunak is facing pressure to cut fuel duty by at least 5p a litre as prices have spiked over recent weeks. The paper says the cost of fuel has increased by about 20p a litre in the past month – with average prices at a record 165.9p for petrol and 177.3p for diesel.
“Crime of the centuries” is the headline dominating the front of Metro as it leads on Mr Zelensky’s comments. The Ukrainian president has accused Vladimir Putin of crimes that will be “remembered for centuries”. There are also reports that troops opened fire on a care home, killing 56 pensioners in the eastern town of Kreminna, the paper adds.
In an address to Israel, Ukraine’s president has likened Vladimir Putin to the Nazis, The Guardian reports. The president drew links between the Kremlin’s offensive and the extermination of Jews during WW2. He challenged Israel over its failure to impose sanctions on Russia in what the paper calls an “uncompromising address” to the Knesset. President Zelensky – who is Jewish – said that President Putin was waging an “all-out war, illegitimate, intended to destroy our people, our country, our cities, our culture and our children. Everything that makes Ukrainians Ukrainian”.
The Independent’s headline reads: “Sunak rewrites budget as cost of living crisis grows.” The paper reports the Chancellor is under pressure to act on hikes in energy and fuel bills. The paper says the Chancellor made the last-minute changes to Wednesday’s “mini-budget after he was warned he faced a ‘moment of truth’. The front page features an image of a Ukrainian man being stopped and searched by armed pro- Russian separatists with the headline: ‘Mariupol residents ‘deported’ to Russia’.
