In today’s briefing update, we look at Sunday’s top stories. Most papers focus on the vaccine showdown, Covid-19 frontline workers and the possibility gambling logos will be removed from Sport’s jerseys.
Also featured: The latest Covid-19 figures, Sports, business and entertainment news.
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Several papers set out details of what the Sun on Sunday calls Boris Johnson’s “seven hour showdown” with EU chiefs.
A senior government official tells the Sunday Times and the Sun that the phone calls to President Ursula von der Leyen were “pretty spicy”.
The Mail on Sunday suggests contingency plans were drawn up to airlift vaccination doses out of the EU following the short-lived decision to introduce export controls on the Northern Ireland border.
British and EU vaccine industry bodies warn in the Observer of the dangers of export bans when firms are working collaboratively.
Online, the Independent stresses that the UK has offered to help the bloc with its production crisis.
The Sunday Times says ministers are considering removing gambling logos from sports shirts.
The paper says a crackdown on betting firm sponsors could hit football clubs, snooker, darts, boxing and rugby league.
A source from one Premier League club suggests the timing is the worst possible with finances hit by the pandemic.
But the Times says MPs and campaigners have welcomed the possibility because of concerns about gambling addictions.
Below are our top picks of the Sunday Papers.
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EU’s vaccine blunder reopens Brexit battle over Irish border
The Observer says the EU’s “blunder” over the Irish border has reopened the “toxic” political row over Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit status, according to the Observer. The EU is facing a backlash after it announced potential export controls on vaccines produced within the bloc – a move the European Commission backpedalled on just hours later, says the paper. Some Conservative politicians are planning to use the row to demand an overhaul of the Brexit deal over Northern Ireland, it adds.
Read on
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Boris’s double vaccine victory over EU
The Mail on Sunday is celebrating, with the headline: “Boris’s double vaccine victory.” The paper says that the PM “forced the EU into an extraordinary double climbdown” on vaccines reaching the UK. Meanwhile, 8.4m first doses of the vaccine have been administered, the paper adds.
Read on
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Vaccine victory
The Sunday People also hails the “vaccine victory”. The paper describes “a day of hope” after “one year of hell” as the EU backtracks over potential export controls. Plus, experts say the jab is working, the Sunday People adds.
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Britain ready to help out EU on vaccines
The Sunday Telegraph says Britain is set to help the EU with its vaccination crisis, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi has told the paper. Meanwhile, it says new modelling suggests that the UK may not be able to abandon social distancing rules this year unless a vaccine proves to be 85% effective at stopping transmission of the virus.
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On the coronavirus frontline: Heroes at work
The Sunday Mirror reports on the “crisis” facing doctors and nurses “on the corona front line” in hospitals, carrying an image of medical staff wearing personal protective equipment and tending to a patient.
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Boris toasts another big Brexit bonus
The Sunday Express says UK Trade Secretary Liz Truss will on Monday request to join an 11-nation, £9 trillion trans-Pacific trading bloc. The paper is celebrating it as “another big Brexit bonus”.
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