Domestic politics dominates the UK front pages, as continued speculation over the upcoming October Budget becomes the focus for the media again – after recent heavy coverage of international news. 

Tuesday’s speech by the head of MI5, warning threats to Britain by Iran and Russia, also made many of the front pages this morning. 

October Budget: Chancellor plans to borrow billions

‘Rachel Reeves considers cut to tax-free pension withdrawals,’ reports the Telegraph.

The Daily Telegraph reports Chancellor Rachel Reeves is considering cutting the amount of tax-free cash that savers can take from their pensions. The paper says it understands government officials have asked for an assessment of the impact of reducing it to £100,000 – just over a third of the current limit. 

‘Reeves to press ahead with plans to borrow billions for investment,’ says The Guardian.

The Guardian says the chancellor is going ahead with plans to borrow billions of pounds extra for infrastructure investment. Chancellor Reeves is committed to the proposals despite a recent rise in the government’s borrowing costs, a source tells the paper. 

The Tory leadership race’s latest round of voting makes several front pages.  

‘Cleverly out on top,’ says the i.

The i newspaper says there was a “Celeverly bounce” in the latest round of voting in the Conservative leadership contest – with Cleverly, the Shadow Home Secretary, on top and Tom Tugendhat voted out of the race. 

‘Cleverly could make Tory party look nice and normal again,’ argues The Times.

The Times’ editorial writes Cleverly “feels like the best emotional support pet for the traumatised Tories”. She concludes that “he may not be a great visionary for the 21st Century, but he could at least make the Tory party appear nicer and more normal again”.

Russia plotting mayhem warns MI5

‘MI5 warning is chilling as UK faces terror threat from teens,’ reports the Mail.

The Mail calls the warning from the head of MI5, Ken McCallum, “chilling”. The paper’s lead story also reports that the UK is facing a “staggering terror threat from radicalised teens” because of minors consuming, and being “poisoned” by, extremism online.

‘Threats to Britain is the price we pay facing down tyrants and terrorists,’ claims The Times.

The Times’ lead article says “this unwelcome attention” is the price the country pays for being at the forefront of helping Ukraine and for supporting Israel. The paper argues the country should not stop “facing down tyrants and terrorists.” 

‘UK should remain vigilant against attempts to divide us,’ warns the Express.

The Daily Express’ editorial appeals for people to remain “vigilant” against terror plots and all foreign-orchestrated attempts to divide us and sow mistrust. 

‘Cases of spying against the UK has shot up by 50%’, reports the FT.

The FT picks up on the warning that Russian spies are on a “sustained mission to generate mayhem” in Britain. It says the number of cases of spying by other states against the UK has “shot up” by nearly 50%.

Elsewhere, domestic news makes up the rest of the newspapers this morning.

‘Maddie McCann suspect cleared in sex abuse case’, leads the Mirror.

In other domestic news, the Daily Mirror leads with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann as the main suspect in the Britsh toddler’s disappearance was cleared of unrelated sex abuse crimes in Germany. Prosecutors say its a “race against time” to bring Christian Brueckner before a court because his current jail sentence for rape ends next September.

‘WAGs back in court,’ reports the Metro.

The Metro leads on the original WAGS – Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy. The pair are back in court in a dispute over Rooney’s legal costs during the so-called Wagatha Christie libel trial. 

Vardy was ordered to pay 90% of Rooney’s legal fees, which were originally estimated at £540k, but have since risen to £1.8m. The paper focuses on the price of a bottle of water at a hotel minibar after it was revealed that Rooney’s legal fees included the cost of one of her lawyers staying at the five-star Nobu Hotel in London.

‘Politicians intervened to give Swift royal-style security during UK tour,’ reports The Sun.

The Sun leads on news that the home secretary and the Mayor of London both pressed Scotland Yard to give Taylor Swift a “royalty-style blue-light” escort to her concerts at Wembley this summer.

The paper says that the police were reluctant to grant the service because of the huge expense to the taxpayer but senior politicians intervened. A Home Office source is quoted as saying what happened was an “operational decision” for the police.