The Independent – Good riddance: Bibby Stockholm migrant barge to be shut down
The Independent front page reports the Bibby Stockholm barge, which came to symbolise the failure of Tory policy on tackling the small boats, is to be shut down by the new Labour government. The contract for the boat, on which asylum seeker Leonard Farruku was found dead in a suspected suicide last year, will not be renewed when it ends in January.
Charlotte Dujardin, one of the stars of Team GB ahead of the Olympics, has been banned from the Paris Games over allegations she whipped a horse “24 times” like it was “an elephant in a circus” is pictured on the front splash. The BBC’s apology over the bullying scandal makes the front page.
Bibby Stockholm contract will not be renewed as Labour to shut down migrant barge
The Bibby Stockholm barge, which came to symbolise the failure of Tory policy on tackling the small boats, is to be shut down by the new Labour government.
The contract for the boat, on which asylum seeker Leonard Farruku was found dead in a suspected suicide last year, will not be renewed when it ends in January.
The announcement came on a day when 12 damning reports by the National Audit Office (NAO) revealed the depth of the chaos left behind by Rishi Sunak’s Tory government with billions wasted and “systematic failures” across departments.
Auditors have uncovered billions in taxpayers’ money wasted or misspent in services ranging from fixing potholes, the funding of HS2, management of the NHS, schools and tackling chronic homelessness.
Charlotte Dujardin out of Olympics 2024 over allegedly ‘whipping horse 24 times like circus elephant’
Charlotte Dujardin, one of the stars of Team GB ahead of the Olympics, has been banned from the Paris Games over allegations she whipped a horse “24 times” like it was “an elephant in a circus”.
Dujardin, a three-time Olympic champion, earlier withdrew from all competitions due to a video that shows the dressage rider “making an error of judgement during a coaching session” to a young rider four years ago.
Stephan Wensing, a lawyer representing the 19-year-old who filed the complaint against Dujardin, said the incident took place when the 39-year-old was telling the student to lift up the legs of the horse.
He told The Telegraph: “She took the long whip and she was beating the horse more than 24 times in one minute.” He added: “It was like an elephant in the circus.”
Tim Davie says sorry over Strictly scandal but insists show must go on
Tim Davie has apologised over alleged mistreatment of contestants on Strictly Come Dancing as the corporation announced its annual report.
The BBC is facing its biggest controversy in 20 years as a slew of allegations about bullying and violence have surfaced against two of the show’s top dancers.
Graziano Di Prima quit the show earlier this month after a video of him kicking his former dance partner Zara McDermott was shown to BBC executives.
Responding to criticism of the show in recent days, the BBC director general said: “I’m very sorry that anyone has had an experience on Strictly that hasn’t been wholly positive, I think that is something we do reflect on, and I’m sorry about that.”
Mr Davie also apologised to those affected at a news briefing following the release of the annual report, which reveals, among other things, the salaries of its highest-paid stars. The figures were overshadowed by a series of allegations by past Strictly contestants over the robustness of its safeguarding procedures.
Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
If you are someone who reads every perspective of a story, here is a news summary of all of today’s front pages from today’s newspapers; summarised in a 2-minute read
Editorial 24 July 2024.
Wednesday’s front pages offer a welcome break from the dominant stories over the past few weeks, as politics slips off many front pages, leaving room for other domestic topics and some showbiz gossip.
The BBC’s apology regarding the Strictly Come Dancing scandal is a prominent story for many of the tabloids, amid whispers the popular reality TV show could face the axe. Many of the front pages carry pictures of the three-time Olympic dressage champion, Charlotte Dujardin, who’s pulled out of the Paris Games after a video emerged which she said showed her “making an error of judgement”.
Football dominates the back pages, including the latest transfer reports and gossip.