Editorial 18 July 2024.
Thursday’s front pages are dominated by the King’s Speech as the new government unveils its plans for the country for the year ahead. The newspapers offer up their assessments of Labour’s plans and who it benefits.
Many of the papers feature images of Charles and Camilla at the King’s Speech. There is a splash of celebrity news on several front pages, whilst the back pages are dominated by Premier League gossip.
Labour’s ‘Red Revolution restores the nation’s hopes’
The right-leaning newspapers offer up their verdicts.
The Daily Telegraph says the bills signal “the return of big government,” with plans to nationalise the railways and give extra rights to workers and tenants.
The Daily Express and the Daily Mail call it a “Red revolution.” The Express warns middle England to “brace itself” for tax increases whilst the Mail says the new measures on workers’ rights will cost jobs. It asks: “How will these new burdens on firms help growth?”
The Sun – a traditional right-leaning paper – calls it a good start but wants to see if the plans “bear fruit.”
The Times features an image of Charles and Camilla but instead focuses on the government’s move towards a new deal with the EU on migrants. The paper reports on Starmer’s plans to “reset” relations with Europe at today’s summit in Oxfordshire.
‘Restores the nation’s hopes’
The left-leaning newspapers have their say.
The FT says some business leaders are nervous about a big package of new employment rights. But its overall assessment of the plan suggests it is “a pick-and-mix of traditional Labour state intervention, coupled with fiscal discipline and radical planning reforms beloved of the Tory right”.
The Daily Mirror says the speech offered a “blueprint to restore the nation’s hopes”.
The Guardian highlights the announcement of the task force which will tackle child poverty. The paper says the PM is warding off a backbench rebellion over the issues of the benefit cap. The paper says Labour MPs were angered by the lack of specific measures and the left-wingers are set to back amendments which are being put forward.