Editorial 25 June 2024.
Tuesday’s front pages have a little more variety than what we’ve seen over the past few weeks – with other domestic topics away from the general election finding themselves as the lead story.
The tabloids lead on the opening day of a trial of a man accused of plotting to kidnap, rape and murder TV presenter Holly Willoughby. Princess Anne’s accident at home – which has seen the 73-year-old taken to hospital, as well as England’s upcoming Euros match also make the front splash.
Elsewhere, politics make up the rest of the front pages with the left-leaning newspapers picking up on comments that the IFS think tank has said Labour and Conservative plans to improve public services are “essentially unfunded.” The right-leaning papers offer up their scrutiny of Labour’s plans if they are elected to government on 4 July.
‘Holly Willoughby kidnap plot trial’
The Metro focuses on the evidence presented by the prosecution that defendant Gavin Plumb has described his planned attack as his ultimate fantasy. Plumb denies all charges.
The Daily Mirror also leads on the trial, with a sub-headline highlighting the words of prosecutor Alison Morgan who said the defendant had displayed a “dark depravity”.
The Mail labels Plumb as an “obsessed Holly fan.” The paper says he planned to take the TV presenter to a ‘dungeon’ and repeatedly rape her before killing her and dumping her body in a lake. Jurors in Chelmsford were told during the trial’s opening on Monday that Plumb had made previous attempts to kidnap and imprison women, resulting in convictions that he boasted about online, according to the paper.
Many of the other papers, including the Express and Guardian feature a picture of Holly Willoughby on their front pages.
‘IFS scathing verdict’
The FT reports the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) issued a “scathing verdict” on Monday, when it said the Conservatives and Labour had ducked tough choices on tax, borrowing and spending, in their manifestos.
The i newspaper reports 10 taxes that – according to the IFS – neither party has ruled out putting up; including fuel, alcohol and tobacco duty, air passenger duty and green taxes.
The Daily Telegraph’s lead focuses on the ongoing betting scandal. The paper says a “source close to the Cabinet Office” suspects Scotland Yard of leaking the identities of Conservatives being looked into by the Gambling Commission. The Met Police told the BBC that the allegations are “simply untrue” and a “poor distraction.”
The paper says five more police officers are being looked into in relation to alleged bets on the date of the election.
The Times highlights warnings about Labour’s manifesto commitment to introduce a full ban on conversion therapy.
The Guardian says recent reports have laid bare a “crisis of poverty” in the UK. One, by the TUC, says 900,000 children in working households have been pushed into poverty, partly because of low growth in wage since 2010.