Most of Thursday’s UK newspaper front pages lead with the U-turn on the winter fuel payment cuts. Last year the government announced changes to the benefit which saw more than nine million pensioners lose out on payments worth up to £300 – after the eligibility threshold was tightened.
Author: WTX News Editor
Good morning! Grab your coffee and let’s take a brisk scroll through today’s headlines…
In politics, Sir Keir Starmer has bowed to pressure and announced a U-turn on winter fuel payment cuts. The scheme, which had been scaled back to save £1.4 billion, left over 10 million pensioners without support. Starmer now says more pensioners will qualify again, with changes expected in the autumn Budget – though the exact numbers and timing are still under wraps. It comes after Labour lost big to Reform UK during recent local elections.
Meanwhile, a government-commissioned review has suggested that prisoners should serve only a third of their sentences in custody, rather than the current half. There are proposals to chemically castrate sex offenders in order to release them earlier in a bid to free up spaces in prisons.
In economic news, the UK government’s borrowing reached £20.2 billion in April, surpassing expectations and placing additional pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
After lots of glorious sunshine, the UK is set to experience a shift in weather just in time for the bank holiday weekend. The Met Office forecasts unsettled conditions, with many areas expecting rain or showers and more unpredictable weather patterns continuing into the half-term week.
Elsewhere, the UK government has been temporarily blocked from finalising a landmark deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, following a late-night injunction granted by the High Court.
In sport, underdogs are stealing the spotlight. Crystal Palace shocked football fans by beating Manchester City 1–0 to lift the FA Cup – their first major trophy. Not to be outdone, Spurs ended their 17-year silverware drought with a scrappy 1–0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final, with Brennan Johnson the unlikely hero.
On the international front, there has been a shooting in the US with two Israeli embassy staffers shot dead near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.
The WHO has said Gaza’s health service is ‘stretched beyond breaking point’ and Donald Trump held a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa – in which the US president ambushed his counterpart with unfounded claims of genocide against white South Africans.
A High Court injunction has temporarily blocked the UK government from finalising a deal to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, initiated by legal action from Chagossian woman Bertrice Pompe.
Two Israeli embassy staffers, a young couple on the verge of getting engaged, were shot dead in Washington, DC on Wednesday night.
Sir Keir Starmer has announced a U-turn on winter fuel payment cuts, following weeks of political pressure.
The proposed sentencing policy review could lead to sex offenders undergoing chemical castration, with widespread early release for certain inmates after serving only a third of their sentences.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, defending the Trump administration’s foreign policies amidst criticism from Democratic senators regarding issues such as budget cuts to foreign assistance and the refugee admissions program.
Tottenham Hotspur ended a 17-year trophy drought by defeating Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final, marking their first European trophy in 41 years.
George Kaplan, a former assistant to Combs, testified about his experiences travelling with the musician on a private jet and setting up hotel rooms for him.
Chris Brown has been released on bail with a £5m security fee, allowing him to continue his world tour despite facing a charge of grievous bodily harm.
Tottenham Hotspur secured the Europa League title, defeating Manchester United 1-0, with Brennan Johnson scoring the decisive goal.
During a White House meeting, Donald Trump presented a video claiming evidence of “genocide” against white farmers in South Africa, which left President Cyril Ramaphosa mostly expressionless.
Parents of a student who took her own life challenge a government report on student suicides for failing to address systemic issues within higher education.
Cliff Notes At an inquest into Jay Slater’s death, his friends, who were present before he went missing, failed to appear as witnesses, despite summonses being issued. Jay Slater, 19, was found dead from a severe head injury, with traces of drugs including cocaine, ketamine, and ecstasy in his system. The coroner confirmed that the head injuries were consistent with a heavy fall, likely causing immediate unconsciousness and leading to his death. Jay Slater’s mother…
Cliff Notes Proposals suggest that criminals, including sex offenders and domestic abusers, could be released after serving one-third of their sentence to alleviate prison overcrowding. The policy applies to standard determinate sentences based on behaviour, incentivising good conduct and rehabilitation during incarceration. The measures aim to reduce the prisoner population by 9,500 as the male estate is currently at 99% capacity, with concerns over imminent collapse. Criminals including sex offenders could be released from prison…
Sir Keir Starmer has announced a U-turn on last year’s controversial cuts to winter fuel payments. More than nine million pensioners lost out on payments worth up to £300 after eligibility for the pension top-up was tightened last year. Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir said ministers would look again at the threshold to allow “more pensioners” to qualify again. He did not provide further details, adding that the changes would be made at…
Cliff Notes Andriy Portnov, a former aide to Ukraine’s president Viktor Yanukovich, was shot and killed in Madrid while reportedly taking his children to school. The attack involved multiple assailants who shot Portnov in the back and head before fleeing towards a nearby forest; police responded shortly after the incident was reported. Portnov had been living in exile since 2014 and faced a state treason investigation in Ukraine related to Russia’s annexation of Crimea, which…
Britain accuses Israel of ‘cruel and monstrous extremism’ in siege of Gaza The i newspaper reports that the UK has accused Israel of “cruel and monstrous extremism”. David Lammy is also heavily featured as he signals a “dark new phase in this conflict.” The front page previews tonight’s all-English Europa League final where £100 million is on the line.
Pensioners hit by triple whammy savings Daily Express front page says “Reeves slammed as frozen thresholds drag 1m OAPs into paying 40% tax”. The paper says one million pensioners face “unprecedented tax demands” after Reeves’s decision to maintain the freeze on income tax bands. Princess Kate is featured on the front page as she attends a garden party.
Boris: Starmer’s Britain is turning into police state Daily Mail reports former Tory Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that “Britain is turning into a police state”. The former leader’s comments came in relation to the news that a judge refused to reduce the sentence of a mother locked up for a “hateful” tweet following the Southport murders. A showbiz exclusive makes the front page.
UK ready to sanction top Israelis over Gaza The Times says “leaders warn against breaching international law” as the UK is ready to sanction “top Israelis”. The paper says the government is drawing up plans with other countries to impose sanctions on Israel’s finance minister and defence minister among others. Donald Trump is pushing Britain to spend more on defence and a survivor of the Southport attacks is pictured on the front page.
Israel’s Gaza rhetoric ‘repellent and monstrous’, says Lammy The Guardian reports on David Lammy’s comments calling Israel’s Gaza rhetoric “repellent and monstrous”. The paper says that UK-Israel relations are at their worst state in decades, as Lammy suspends trade talks. UK travellers could start using e-gates again but not until 2026, in the latest update from the Brexit reset. Thames Water bonuses from expected for top bosses (and taken out of a loan) have been withdrawn.
Cliff Notes Vladimir Putin’s visit to Kursk marks his first since Ukrainian forces were reportedly ejected from the region, which was the largest territorial incursion into Russia since WWII. During his visit, Putin engaged with volunteer organisations and inspected a local nuclear power plant while also addressing the recent drone activity in Russian airspace. The backdrop of Putin’s visit includes a deadly missile attack on a Ukrainian training camp, prompting discussions about ceasefire negotiations, though…
Britain’s message to Israel: This must end now Daily Mirror says the UK’s decision to suspend trade talks with Israel and the use of much more direct language regarding Israel’s war in Gaza is the country’s “message to Israel.” The PM says: “The current situation is intolerable” and calls for food to be delivered to the residents amid UN warnings that thousands of babies will starve to death in the next few days if aid is…
Wednesday’s headlines are dominated by the shock announcements from the UK government regarding the situation in Gaza. Despite being fairly silent and in line with the USA regarding the Middle East crisis, the UK government has finally taken a stand. The right-wing papers keep the story off the front pages, instead focusing on various domestic political stories.