The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning putting the Christmas getaway under threat by 80mph winds. Many regions of the country will be impacted this weekend with warnings of heavy rain and winds of up to 80mph that
Friday’s headlines reflect a variety of domestic and international news stories. Several of the papers continue coverage of the Grenfell inquiry report which was published on Wednesday.
Elsewhere, domestic politics is splashed across several papers. The tabloids feature showbiz and royal news – with many of the papers across the spectrum this morning featuring a picture of Prince William.
Premier League news makes up the back pages along with the latest from the US Open as British star Jack Draper is through to the semi-finals.
‘Grenfell victims won’t get justice’
The Guardian leads with coverage of Grenfell. The paper says there may not be prosecutions brought before the end of this decade. In May, police said the scale of the investigation meant they expected to be able to announce charges in late 2026 at the earliest.
The Times says Studio E – the firm behind the Grenfell refurbishment – has been prevented from closing down. The flammable cladding added to the outside of the building is why the fire spread so rapidly. The company was found by the inquiry to bear a “very significant degree of responsibility” for the disaster of the cladding used in the refit and that it had a “cavalier attitude to safety”.
Studio E has been in liquidation for more than four years but cannot be dissolved as investigations are ongoing.
Other domestic stories make the front pages.
The Metro leads on the inquest into a guest of the Jeremy Kyle show – who committed suicide after reportedly being humiliated by the daytime tabloid talk show. The presenter has denied humiliating Steve Dymond, who died of an overdose a week after appearing as a guest on the reality talk show.
“The production, the producing, the aftercare, the lie detector test were not my responsibility,” Jeremy Kyle said.
The i newspaper that checks on fruit and veg being imported from the EU are to be delayed again amid fears they will push food prices up. The introduction of checks is set to be delayed until July 2025.
The Daily Mail says Germany is planning to send migrants who arrive in their country illegally to facilities in Rwanda paid for by the UK government. The idea has been floated by Joachim Stamp, Germany’s special commissioner for migration agreements.
The Telegraph reports on plans to tackle overcrowding in Britain’s jails which report which could see prisoners sent to Estonia to serve their sentences. The paper says Estonia has offered to rent out its spare capacity to other governments.
The Daily Express says a survey of pensioners has suggested a majority want to see a comparison deal under which only the wealthy lose the winter fuel payment.
The Mirror reports a new statue of Queen Elizabeth is set to be announced this weekend. The sculpture will be in St James’s Park and will be unveiled in 2026.
Key Takeaways
The impact this has on the UK people as general is – we will never know the truth about what actually transpired, partially because it involves the Royal Borough of Kensington and secondly the civil service who signed off on the project.
The BBC have tried to portray balance, but in reality they have failed the public. It may seem like Laura Kuenssberg was pressing the Prime MInister in her show, but ten years later? that is just done for show.
No doubt you will hear the likes of Farage shouting at the top of their voices, oh no wait, you won’t because the building was mainly populated by immigrants and ‘British citizens’.
Preposterous fuss about nothing. I thought you pulled some quite groovy shapes,
@AngelaRayner
- but regardless, I want our politicians fit and rested, not mentally/physically exhausted.
The Labour leadership kicked out MPs who opposed driving children into poverty.
Now they want to further banish them for opposing driving pensioners into hardship.
Instead of trying to curry favour with these hideous people, they should join the Greens or Independents.
Palestinians are human beings who deserve to live in freedom and joy.
That is why hundreds of thousands of us have exercised our right to protest.
We will be here as long as it takes until there is an immediate ceasefire, an end to the occupation, and a just & lasting peace.
The incident occurred Wednesday at Islamic High School in Basorun, Oyo State, during a crowded school fair near Lagos. Thousands had gathered for the event, organised by Women in Need of Guidance and Support, an NGO founded by Prophetess Naomi Silekunola.
During Macron’s initial visit on Thursday, locals jeered and expressed frustration, highlighting the slow response to the crisis. The cyclone struck the Indian Ocean archipelago five days ago, leaving a trail of devastation.
On Thursday, a Republican-led spending plan aimed at averting the crisis failed in the House of Representatives, falling short of the required two-thirds majority. The bill saw opposition from 38 Republicans and most Democrats.
Dominique Pelicot, the ex-husband of French rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of drugging and raping her, as well as inviting dozens of other men to abuse her over a period of nearly a decade. The 72-year-old was found guilty of all charges by a judge in Avignon, southern France, and became emotional in court as the sentence was read.
Starbucks baristas in the US, represented by Workers United, are set to begin a five-day strike starting Friday, demanding better pay, improved working conditions, and more staff at their stores. The strike, which will start in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle, is expected to spread to hundreds of locations across the country by Christmas Eve unless an agreement is reached.
GKN Aerospace owner Melrose holds outlook despite supply chain challenges
Melrose Industries said it is on track to hit looming profit targets despite the industry-wide supply chain challenges plaguing the aerospace sector.
The Birmingham-based manufacturer said this morning it expects adjusted operating profit of between £550m and £570m this year and £700m in 2025.
In an update to markets, Melrose flagged a seven per cent year-on-year rise in revenue, driven by a 17 per cent jump in its Engines division.
Aerospace manufacturers, particularly the major planemaker’s Airbus and Boeing, have struggled to meet a significant ramp-up in post-Covid demand from their airline customers, as a result of long-running supply chain problems.
Huel: Record sales as profit triples at brand backed by celebrities
Huel, which counts the likes of Idris Elba, Steven Bartlett and Jonathan Ross among its investors, has reported record sales as a profit almost tripled during its latest financial year.
The Hertfordshire-headquartered company, which is known for its vitamin-enriched food items, has reported a revenue of £214m for the 12 months to 31 July, 2024, up from the £184.5m it achieved in the prior 12 months.
Huel’s pre-tax profit also jumped from £4.7m to £13.8m over the same period, according to new figures.
The business said its products are now sold in 25,650 stores, up from 11,250.
Average price tag on a home falls as rate cuts spark demand revival
The average price tag on a newly marketed home dropped by over £5,000 in November as buyer demand revived in the wake of the Bank of England’s recent interest rate cut.
According to Rightmove, the standard price for a newly marketed home currently sits at £366,592, a 1.4 per cent month-on-month drop.
That downward trend is steeper than usual, with a typical November fall being around 0.8 per cent.
Rightmove said its data indicated that a fall in buyers approaching estate agents following the Autumn Budget, had been offset by a rise in buyer demand after the Bank of England lowered interest rates to 4.75 per cent in only the second cut this year.
Very sad to hear that Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with Frontotemporal dementia, the same condition Bruce Willis suffers from. Appeared on her show many times over the years and she’s a fabulous character & superb broadcaster. Wish her and her family all the best.
Palestinians are human beings who deserve to live in freedom and joy.
That is why hundreds of thousands of us have exercised our right to protest.
We will be here as long as it takes until there is an immediate ceasefire, an end to the occupation, and a just & lasting peace.
Keir Starmer and his allies, clutching a can of petrol in one hand and a box of matches in the other, tutting loudly at the flames. Starmer has no effin clue
