Editorial 22.01.2025
‘Southport killer bought knife on Amazon’ & ‘Trump’s new era kicks-off’
Wednesday’s lead stories continue with similar coverage as yesterday with the Southport killer and Donald Trump’s presidency leading the front pages.
The prime minister addressed the public yesterday, following the guilty plea from the Southport killer, in which he warns that Britain is facing a new threat from what he called “loners, misfits [and] young men in their bedroom” accessing violent content online.
There are several stories on the new US president including reports on the Capitol rioters who were pardoned, his renewed threats to introduce tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China and as well as reports the 47th president will impose steep tax rises on foreign companies and overseas nationals working in the USA.
The back pages asses the English clubs’ performance in the Champions League, with Liverpool’s win seeing them sit at the top of the league and Aston Villa’s 1-0 loss. Manchester City and Arsenal are in action in the Champions League tonight.
‘Southport killer bought knife on Amazon’
‘The Amazon killer’ reports the Sun.
The Sun leads with reports Axel Rudakubana bought a knife from the online retail giant Amazon despite being only 17 at the time. The paper says the law prohibits the sale of knives to under-18s.
Inside the paper, the prime minister promises change saying the lessons to be learnt from the case “could not be clearer.”
‘Total disgrace’ – the Mirror and Times quote the Home Secretary reacting to the attacker being able to buy a knife online.
The Daily Mirror quotes the home secretary who said it was a “total disgrace” he was able to buy the weapon.
‘Rudakubana admitted to carrying a knife more than 10 times before attack,’ notes The Times.
The Times says Rudakubana admitted to carrying a knife more than 10 times before he bought one on Amazon to carry out the triple murder in Southport last year. The paper says a Home Office review is underway to try to understand how the government’s counter-extremism programme Prevent failed to stop Rudakubana despite him being recommended three times and having an obsession with “extreme violence.”
‘Loners, misfits posing new threat,’ leads the Express.
The Daily Express quotes the prime minister’s statement yesterday, saying the UK is now facing a new threat from “loners, misfits, [and] young men in their bedrooms” viewing violent material online and that “fundamental change” is needed to protect children.
‘War on misfits,’ says the Metro.
The Metro also quotes PM Sir Keir saying that in the past the predominant threat was highly organised political groups with clear political intent” like al-Qaeda and that, while that threat remains, a new one is posed by people “desperate for notoriety, sometimes inspired by traditional terrorist groups, but fixated on that extreme violence, seemingly for its own sake”.
‘Tough legislation to protect young people from violent content,’ says the i.
The i newspaper says the government has promised tough legislation to protect young people from violent content.
‘Terror laws to be changed and social media companies urged to take down violent content,’ says The Guardian.
The Guardian quotes the PM saying: “You can’t tell me that the material this individual viewed before committing these murders should be accessible on mainstream social media platforms”. The paper says Sir Keir also pledged changes that would allow perpetrators of terror attacks to be charged under terrorism laws even if they lack a coherent ideology.
‘PM may expand definition to include lone wold attackers lacking clear ideology,’ says Telegraph.
The Daily Telegraph reports there are concerns security services could be inundated if the law is expanded to include what the paper calls “lone wolf attackers.”
‘Trump’s new era kicks-off’
‘Trump signs orders within hours,’ says Express.
The Daily Express reports “sweeping change at the stroke of a Sharpie.” The paper picks up on the many executive orders Donald Trump signed within hours of being sworn in as the new US president.
‘Flurry of announcements was exhilarating,’ says Mail.
Daniel Hannan writes in the Mail that the flurry of announcements was “exhilarating”.
‘Trump pardons 1,500 capitol rioters,’ says The Times.
The Times says the president took aim at everyone in his inaugural speech, including migrants. Within hours of taking office, he pardoned 1,500 of his supporters who stormed the US capitol in 2021. The move sparked “joy” for his supporters and “anger and fear” for those who are not.
‘Hard not to envy Trump’s positivity,’ says the Telegraph.
The Telegraph features an article from Philip Johnston who says that it’s hard not to envy the positivity of what Trump is promising to do for Americans. He calls on the prime minister to learn some lessons from Trump saying “boosterism sure beats gloomsterism”.