Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Monday’s front pages continue their coverage of the crumbling concrete in schools, as the new term is about to start.
Crumbling schools
The Times reports ministers are facing demands to speed up inspections to uncover the full extent of dangerous concrete in school buildings. The paper says hundreds of schools are “still in the dark” over the extent of the problem.
The i newspaper reports on teachers being “thrown into a new term panic” as Jeremey Hunt “vows to make schools safe at any cost” but that “there’s no new money.”
The Guardian says the row about the presence of the concrete (RAAC) as well as a lack of clarity about funding for repairs is “threatening to engulf parliament” as MPs return from summer recess.
Overturn ban on new wind farms
Away from the school concrete crisis, The Daily Telegraph reports Rishi Sunak is set to “overturn” the ban on building new onshore wind farms, to avoid a Tory rebellion. The paper says ministers are set to change planning rules, freeing councils to back proposed turbines where there is broad public support.
Labour leader and PM-hopeful Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed in the Daily Mirror where he outlines a range of policy pledges. He tells the paper there’ll be no income tax rises if Labour wins the next general election and that the party will not increase the burden on working people.
Amnesty over the Troubles killings
Financial Times reports the Irish government is reported to be seeking legal advice in an attempt to half the UK’s Northern Ireland legacy bill. The bill would offer a conditional amnesty to those accused of killings during the Troubles.
Irish FM Micheál Martin tells the paper that there are concerns the bill is not complaints with the European Convention on Human Rights, and says it will not deliver for victims.
But Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said while he was aware the bill would not please everyone, the prospect of convictions a quarter of a century after the Troubles had ended, was slim and called for Dublin to cooperate.
The Sun newspaper continues its front page coverage of stories involving former rugby player Danny Cipriani, based on a new book he has out, with the headline “England coach grilled me over sex life with Kirsty”.
And finally, the Daily Star reports on temperatures set to soar this week with a potential for “a long spell of spookily warm weather up to Halloween.”