‘Glastonbury and BBC face backlash’ & ‘UK set for hottest day of the year’ | The newspapers summarised
Monday’s newspaper headlines are dominated by the controversial Glastonbury performance from punk duo Bob Vylan, who chanted “death, death to the IDF.” Several headlines criticised the BBC for not pulling the performance off live TV, whilst other headlines looked at the reaction to the chant, including the prime minister’s condemnation of the performance.
There is continued coverage of the upcoming welfare bill vote set to take place on Tuesday. Last week, the prime minister backed down from his bill, making huge concessions to appease the Labour rebels. The watered-down bill will be voted on this Tuesday in the Commons.
The UK heatwave finds some space on the front pages, with a handful of papers focusing on the news that Monday is set to be the hottest day of the year so far in the UK. The rest of Europe is also sweltering as the heatwave sweeps the continent.
Showbiz, Glastonbury and Wimbledon make up most of the front page images.
The stories dominating UK news this morning
The BBC are being questioned as to why a livestream of a UK band continued after they chanted “death to IDF.” Some are suggesting the BBC should face charges, while others report on Wes Streeting to get its own house in order before criticising the UK.
‘Vile Glastonbury chants as BBC under scrutiny’
- The Daily Express asked why the performance was not pulled by the BBC during the livestream of the festival. “Both the broadcaster and the music festival faced widespread condemnation,” the paper says. A BBC spokesperson previously said some of the comments made were “deeply offensive” and they had issued a warning on screen about “very strong and discriminatory language”. There are no plans to make the performance available on iPlayer, they added.
- The Daily Mail says the BBC chiefs “should face charges” over the chants and their failure to pull the plug. The paper quotes Home Secretary Chris Philp, who said that the BBC “appears to have broken the law”.
- The Daily Telegraph also quotes the home secretary, who says Bob Vylan is a “hate rapper” and says the duo must be treated like “Connolly.” A failure to do so would be “a clear example of two-tier justice under Sir Keir Starmer”, he said. Lucy Connolly received a 31-month prison sentence after admitting inciting racial hatred in a social media post after the Southport killings.
- The Sun says there is “no excuse for BBC hate”. The paper goes on to quote the prime minister, who said, “The BBC needs to explain how these scenes came to be broadcast.”
- The Metro says Wes Streeting has “waded into” the row after the Israeli embassy called the chants “inflammatory and hateful.” It reports the health secretary condemned the chants and told the embassy to “get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank.”
- The Times also runs with the story of the BBC airing Bob Vylan’s IDF chants, saying the boss has been told to “get a grip or quit”. The paper coordinates with Sir Rod Stewart’s Glastonbury suit to announce, “Wimbledon begins today!”
‘PM backbench showdown’
Despite backing down over his controversial welfare reforms, the prime minister’s upcoming Tuesday Commons vote is back in the spotlight amid tensions within the party.
- The FT says the prime minister will attempt to win over the Labour rebels, despite having already backed down over the welfare bill. The paper says the changes to the bill have reduced government savings from £5bn to about £2bn. The uncertainty of a vote on its outcome is “highly unusual” and suggests “tensions and bad blood within the Labour party”, it writes.
- The Times says the PM is attempting to stave off a revolt on the welfare cuts.
- The Guardian reports “rebel Labour whip calls for more welfare concessions.” Vicky Foxcroft, who resigned as whip over the bill, tells the paper that the government must work with disabled people on changes and publish a review.
‘UK heatwave to peak at 34C today’
A handful of the papers lead with the heatwave across the UK – and the rest of Europe is sweating too!
- The Daily Mirror reports “heat is on”, saying Monday is set to be the “hottest day of the year.”
- The Daily Star reports “meltdown Monday,” reporting a “2000-mile-wide 35C heat bubble sparks beach dash.”
A look at stories on the front pages of the UK newspapers
The Daily Mail Scotland is up to its old tricks with its lies. The front page claims the punk band under scrutiny for its chants at Glastonbury said “death to Israelis”. THEY DID NOT. The band said “death to IDF”. This is a clear and dangerous lie from the Daily Mail.
Donald Trump is pictured on the front splash as he is heading to Scotland to play golf.
The front page report on the upcoming women’s Euro 2025 with a wall chart inside.
The Daily Express reports the prime minister has condemned the “appalling hate speech” after a shocking “anti-Israel outburst” from the stage of Glastonbury.
The front page coverage is packed full of lies. The chants were anti-IDF, not anti-Israel!
Wimbledon and Rod Stewart at Glastonbury make the front page.
Metro says the health secretary has involved himself in the Glastonbury row by telling Israel to focus on getting its own house in order and take violence against Palestinians more seriously. The paper notes he said the punk duo’s chants of ‘death to IDF’ crossed the line.
The Times leads with Tuesday’s Commons vote on the PM’s benefits bill, framing it as the PM “battling” to “starve off a revolt.” It comes after Starmer backed down from his original bill, but the whole episode has left a sour taste in many people’s mouths – and the PM’s premiership is in trouble.
The front page looks at the backlash the BBC are facing over “IDF chant outcry”.
There’s also a report on ChatGPT replacing entry level jobs.
The Guardian leads with the Labour whip who quit over the benefits row. She’s calling on the government to cut back on even more of its bill.
There’s a front-page report on healthcare in the UK, as well as the UN’s comments that Iran still has a nuclear capacity.
Images from Glastonbury make the front page as the sun continues to shine across the UK and Europe.
The Mirror leads on Monday’s heatwave with temps set to hit 35C.
The tabloid is another paper to claim the Glastonbury chants were “anti-Israel” on its front page.
Rod Stewart is pictured on the front page during his Glastonbury performance, just days after he announced he’s backing Reform UK.
Bias Exposed from UK newspapers
The Glastonbury row has split the UK newspapers, with the right-leaning press attempting to suggest the band were chanting about Israelis when in reality they were chanting about the IDF military. The tabloids use their usual sensationalism, lies and division to make their point.
- The Scottish Daily Mail headline: “NOW ARREST PUNK BAND WHO LED ‘DEATH TO ISRAELIS’ CHANTS AT GLASTONBURY”. This headline lies, the band chanted “death to IDF”, NOT “Death to Israelis.”
- The Daily Mail headline: “BBC CHIEFS ‘SHOULD FACE CHARGES’ OVER GLASTONBURY: Outrage grows after broadcast of vile ‘death to Israelis’ chant”. This headline uses outrage framing and capitalised emphasis to provoke a strong emotional reaction. The phrase “BBC CHIEFS ‘SHOULD FACE CHARGES’” suggests criminal culpability, amplifying public anger. Calling the chant “vile” and specifying “death to Israelis” anchors the story in moral condemnation. It’s a media tactic that combines legal drama, institutional blame, and emotive language to escalate controversy and fuel calls for accountability.
- Metro headline: “Get your own house in order: Streeting says Israeli embassy needs to take violence against Palestinians more seriously”. This headline uses a confrontational and corrective tone. “Get your own house in order” frames Wes Streeting’s comment as a rebuke, shifting scrutiny onto the Israeli embassy. It positions him as challenging perceived hypocrisy, a tactic that personalises foreign policy critique while aligning with calls for justice. It also redirects moral accountability, intensifying diplomatic tension in a few sharp words.