Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Wednesday’s front pages report heavily on the upcoming strikes, the government’s plan to ban conversion therapy and calls for former Met officer David Carrick to be stripped of his pension also dominate the front pages.
Pictures of BBC Radio presenter Ken Bruce are splashed on several papers.
Strikes looming across UK
The Metro says it is “one out all our” in what it calls the “strike hell” planned for 1 February. The paper says the strikes by rail workers, university lecturers, teachers and civil servants will be Britain’s biggest day of strikes for a generation.
The Mirror calls the negotiations between the government and health unions as “idiotic” as another day of nurses’ strikes gets underway. The paper says bosses are refusing nurses fair pay deal whilst offering agency staff £40 an hour to cross picket lines.
Ban on conversion therapy
Kemi Badenoch is preparing to send a letter to Tory MPs, setting out her concerns over the government’s proposed ban on transgender conversion therapy. The Daily Telegraph notes it as a highly unusual move. The paper says she will point out that legitimate conversations between parents and trans kids should not be outlawed – and her stance reflects those of other Tory MPs who may stage a rebellion.
Rapist cop David Carrick
The Daily Mail leads with calls to “strip the rapist PC of his £22,000 pension”. The paper says Carrick – who admitted 24 counts of rape – could keep his entire state-funded pension because his crimes were committed off-duty.
The Guardian leads with the same story and adds there is growing pressure for an inquiry so the cops who shielded Carrick are sacked too.
Ken Bruce leaves BBC radio
Several papers carry an image of Ken Bruce who announced he’ll be stepping down as a BBC radio presenter after 31 years.
“Latest golden oldie to depart Radio 2” is the Mail’s headline; the Daily Express calls it “the end of an era”; while in a reference to the hugely popular music quiz Bruce created, the Telegraph goes with “Radio 2 loses its Popmaster”.
