Author: WTX News Editor

The Times – Starmer: I’ll allow more homes on green belt Summary of the front page The Times reports that Sir Keir Starmer has promised to allow more houses to be built on the green belt. In an interview with the newspaper, the Labour leader says that, if his party are elected, he will relax planning restrictions to pave the way for more housebuilding. Sir Keir accuses the Conservatives of “killing the aspiration of home…

Daily Express – PM: You must let us deport illegal immigrants Summary of the front page The Daily Express says the prime minister has told European judges they must let the UK fly illegal migrants to Rwanda. Rishi Sunak reportedly told lawmakers in Strasbourg they needed to be “fair and transparent” after “secret late-night court rulings” meant deportation flights were grounded in the UK The front page reports on the ONS figures concerning a record…

Daily Mirror – Can’t afford a sandwich? Hard cheese Summary of the front page The Daily Mirror leads with a claim from former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe, who says nobody has a right to cheap food. The paper brands her “another out-of-touch politician” after she remarked that struggling families should stop making cheese sandwiches to cut back on rising food costs. One expert told the paper that “ordinary people are sick of being told how…

Nicolas Sarkozy to wear tag after losing corruption appeal Nicolas Sarkozy has lost his appeal against a corruption conviction, but the Paris appeals court has ruled the former French president could serve his sentence at home with an electronic tag instead of going to jail.  Sarkozy was sentenced in 2021 to three years in prison, with two suspended, for attempting to influence a judge in a separate case. The corruption conviction is one among several…

Primary school children suffer “life-changing” injuries in Melbourne bus crash A group of primary school children in Melbourne, Australia has been involved in a devastating bus crash, resulting in traumatic and life-changing injuries. The crash occurred when a truck rear-ended the bus, causing it to roll over on Tuesday afternoon. There were 45 students on board, and 18 of them, aged 5-11, were rushed to the hospital , many to undergo emergency surgeries.  The collision…

Loafers Lodge: New Zealand Police launch homicide investigation into hostel fire A homicide investigation has been launched by authorities in New Zealand following the devastating fire that engulfed the Loafers Lodge hostel in Wellington on Monday. At least six people have died in the fire, and around 20 people still remain unaccounted for. The full extent of the damage has hindered investigators from accessing the building until Wednesday. Firefighters found six bodies on Tuesday, they…

Cabinet rift as Braverman told to ‘stick to job’ amid fears she’s pushing to replace PM The Independent says A cabinet rift has opened up over the direction of Rishi Sunak’s government after Suella Braverman sparked fears she is pitching to be prime minister by setting out her hardline, right-wing vision of conservatism. Levelling up secretary Michael Gove rejected “strident” culture war attacks and warned the Tories that focusing on economic competence was the only…

Suella Braverman hints at leadership ambitions with unusually personal pitch to Tory right Sky News says Given Suella Braverman is a senior government minister, her speech at the National Conservatism conference was heavy on the Suella stuff and light on the government stuff. After being interrupted by two protesters (“write a letter” came the shout from the crowd), the home secretary opened with a lengthy explanation of her own backstory and how her family initially…

Suella Braverman’s ‘vision for conservatism’ is a psychodrama of self-interest The Independent says The Tory Party knows it is sinking. You can tell not only because so many of them have already got their eye on the soon to be vacant captain’s job, but also because they reckon they can get it by driving into the iceberg again, but this time even harder. For some reason, the Conservative Party is having not one but two…

Ben Jennings on Suella Braverman’s dreams of being in No 10 — cartoon The Guardian’s take on Suella Braverman’s aims for No 10.  https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2023/may/16/ben-jennings-on-suella-bravermans-dreams-of-being-in-no-10-cartoon

Express Sport – ‘Alas for Smith it’s Jones’ A Mel Smith-Griff Rhys Jones inspired headline for the Daily Express today to reflect Liverpool’s victory and Leicester’s woes. The paper also follows the stories of Manchester United’s and Arsenal’s transfer plans this summer.

The Guardian – Tory MPs tell Braverman: quit the PM pitch and stick to the day job Summary of the front page The Guardian reports that Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been accused of undermining the prime minister on immigration after her speech on Monday, with several Tory MPs reportedly suggesting Mr Sunak should warn Ms Braverman to stick to her role as home secretary. The front page marks Zelensky’s trip to the UK. Today’s…

Financial Times – Erdogan on course to retain power as Turkey election heads for run-off Summary of the front page Turkey’s elections are likely to go to a second round, after none of the candidates passed the 50% threshold – that’s on the front of the Financial Times. The paper reports that current leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is “on course to retain power”, extending his rule into a third decade. The front page also marks…

Metro – Suella picking timebomb murder trial: ‘Poisoner’ on the baby ward Summary of the front page Metro leads with the home secretary’s Monday speech, in which she said there is “no good reason” British people cannot train as fruit pickers. The paper says Ms Braverman “aimed a warning shot” at Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as she told conferencegoers in London there was “no good reason” why the UK could not train fruit pickers and…

The Sun – After Flintoff crash show looks doomed as race track torn up Summary of the front page The Sun has the latest on Top Gear, saying the motoring programme looks “doomed”. “Stop Gear” is the headline on the front page. The paper reports that the BBC’s Top Gear series “looks doomed”, after it says bulldozers started digging up the test track where Freddie Flintoff was injured in a crash in December, and the…

Daily Mirror – I loved my wife … she begged me to kill her Summary of the front page The Daily Mirror leads with the trial of a Briton in Cyprus who says his cancer-stricken wife begged him to kill her. The newspaper reports that British pensioner wept as he spoke about his fondness for his wife, telling the court he “loved her so much”, and that she had “begged” him to kill her. Today’s…

Daily Express – Suella: White people should not feel guilty Summary of the front page The Daily Express reports on the home secretary’s speech, focusing on her assertion that white people should not feel any collective guilt over slavery. The front page reports Ms Braverman “lashed out at political correctness”, adding that the UK’s white population “do not exist in a special state of sin”. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK…

International students boosted UK economy by £42bn in 2021/2 – study The Guardian says The economic benefit international students bring to the UK has jumped by a third in three years, boosting the economy by an estimated £42bn in 2021/2, according to new analysis. The report, by analysts London Economics, said the economic benefit to the country rose from £31.3bn in 2018/9 to £41.9bn three years later as growing numbers of international students choose to…

Northern Ireland international student boom adds £1bn to economy – report BBC News says The number of international students at Northern Irish universities has almost quadrupled in just four years. That is according to a new report on the economic impact of international students in the UK. It also suggested that, in total, international students are worth nearly £1bn to Northern Ireland’s economy. The Department for the Economy (DfE) has suggested there were about 15,000…

UK threatens success of Scots unis at attracting foreign students The Herald says INTERNATIONAL students bring over £37 billion net economic benefit to the UK, up almost 60% in six years. Most sectors of the economy can only dream of these growth rates in our post-Brexit times of stagnant growth and low productivity. ‘The benefits and costs of international higher education students to the UK economy’, a new report published today, proves that our ability…

At least 6 dead in New Zealand hostel fire and others still unaccounted for At least 6 people have died after a fire broke out at the Loafers Lodge hostel in Wellington, New Zealand, according to Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. Emergency services were called to the hostel just after midnight, with more than 50 individuals being rescued from the four-story building. Officials say 11 people remain unaccounted for, and the death toll is expected to…

Today’s news summary – Paper Talk Tuesday’s front pages report on a variety of topics including the Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s recent comments on reducing immigration. Several of the front pages feature a picture of Ukraine’s Zelensky meeting with PM Sunak as the president begins his European tour. Braverman’s immigration comments “Quit the PM pitch and stick to the day job” is the advice given to the home secretary by “despairing” Conservative MPs, according to…

fire at hostel in New Zealand – The fire ripped through the four-storey hostel tonight.

Financial Times- G7 and EU to heap pressure on Russia with ban on reopening of gas pipelines Summary of the front page The Financial Times leads with the G7 and European Union moving to prevent the resumption of Russian pipeline gas exports on routes to countries such as Poland and Germany. The paper says, according to officials involved in the talks, the decision will be finalised by G7 leaders at a summit in Hiroshima this…

Metro – Nurses give Sunak the double digit Summary of the front page Nurses will strike until Christmas unless they get a double-digit pay-rise – that is the promise from union leader Pat Cullen, reported in Metro. The paper says Pat Cullen, the general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, has warned Rishi Sunak not to underestimate her union members after they already rejected a 9% pay deal. Today’s top stories Like this article?…