Editorial 02 September 2024.
Monday’s front pages have a variety of domestic and international leads with the broadsheets slightly more focused on the latest happenings on the global stage. The bodies of six Israeli hostages have been found in Gaza, the latest from the Ukraine-Russia War and the German far-right’s election victory in the east are among the popular headlines on the front splash.
A little closer to home, the front pages report on the latest from Downing Street including Labour axing winter fuel payments and the shake-up of the Ofcom rating system following the death of a head teacher last year.
Oasis, Venice Film Festival and Man Utd’s humiliating loss to Liverpool are all pictured on the front pages. The weekend’s Premier League action dominates the back pages.
‘Six Israeli hostages found dead in Gaza’
Several newspapers, mostly the broadsheets, lead with images of the six Israeli hostages who were found dead in Gaza.
The Times, The Guardian and The Financial Times all feature images of the dead hostages.
The Guardian says the discovery has led to “an eruption of public outrage” against the Israeli government for the failure to reach a deal with Hamas to bring the hostages back.
The FT reports that the frustration among the relatives has become more intense because of the realisation that time is running out for the 101 hostages that are still being held.
The Times says the protests and the general strike are increasing the pressure on Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
‘Ofsted changes after death’
The Metro and the Daily Telegraph lead on stories closer to home. The papers report Ofsted’s decision to scrap its one-word judgements for the state sector in England.
The Metro calls it a ‘big U-turn’. They say scrapping the one-word judgment on school with immediate effect results from a campaign by the family of head teacher Ruth Perru to change the rating system. Perry took her own life in January 2023 – just two months after an inspection which downgraded her school from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’.
The Daily Telegraph says parents will “no longer be told whether a school is outstanding, good, requiring improvement or inadequate by inspectors”. Instead, school “report cards” will come into effect from September next year – “although the change has been introduced so swiftly that their exact form has not been decided”.
‘German far-right election win’
The Times says “Germany’s far-right has first big win since Nazis” as it reports on the election success for Germany’s AfD party in regional elections in the east.
The Guardian says the results have “sent shockwaves through the political landscape.”
The FT says the election win for the far right reflects the growing anger in East Germany against the government – which they associate with high inflation, economic stagnation, and surging energy costs.
The Telegraph says Olaf Scholz’s days as chancellor are numbered.
‘Winter fuel payments’
The Daily Express slams the Commons leader’s claim that the government cut universal winter fuel payments for pensioners to prevent a run on the pound. “How ludicrous!” says the headline as Shadow Treasury Minister Laura Trott describes Lucy Powell’s remarks as “ridiculous fantasies”.
The Sun’s Harry Cole calls the remarks “gibberish”. Powell said she was “really sorry” that the government had been forced to make the decisions – but ministers had been left with no choice.
The Daily Mail claims “Labour is ‘scaring off’ big business” and warns of a “sudden collapse” in economic confidence among bosses, amid “fears of a tax-raising Budget … and concern about Labour’s plans for a union-friendly package of workers’ rights.”
The Daily Mirror leads on a separate story. The paper says almost 60 children a day were suspended from school for racism last year. In all 11,619 pupils were sent home in 2023 – an increase of 25% on the previous 12 months. Campaigners say impressionable kids are repeating what they hear from their parents and right-wing media figures.