Editorial 12 August 2024.
Monday’s front pages cover various stories. Most of the papers feature striking images from last night’s Paris Olympics closing ceremony as the Games ended in ‘spectacular style.’
The funeral of Alice da Silva Aguiar is also pictured on the front pages – and is the lead story for many of the tabloids. The nine-year-old was stabbed to death, along with two other little girls, at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
Several broadsheets continue their coverage around the riots that followed the murder of the three little girls with the worst of the violence appearing to be behind us now. The aftermath of the rioting – and what comes next – is covered by the papers, with each offering up their analysis and opinions about the future.
There’s some light domestic political coverage on the front pages though not enough to dominate this morning’s conversations.
The back pages focus on Team GB’s efforts at the Paris Olympics, as well as Premier League gossip.
‘No more rioting in the name of our little girl’
The Daily Mail’s front page picks up on comments from Alice da Silva Aguair’s parents. The chief constable of Merseyside Police addressed mourners on their behalf telling the rioters to “hang their heads in shame” over the days of unrest after the Southport attack.
The paper has been actively condemning the riots but critics point to the role the newspaper has played in whipping up tensions across the UK with their questionable coverage of immigration.
The Daily Telegraph takes a law-and-order approach to the riots, leading with comments that the recent violence shows that the UK has lost respect for the police. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper says it shows people “feel as though crime has no consequence”. Cooper, the paper reports, has vowed to “restore respect for the police and respect for the law”.
The tabloids cover Alice’s funeral.
The Metro says hundreds of mourners lined the streets to pay their respects to the nine-year-old “described as a princess by her heartbroken family.” The Mirror headlines “Mummy and Daddy will always, always love you” as it features a newly released image of Alice – the last photo taken of the nine-year-old of the morning of the Taylor Swift dance class. The Express calls it the “heartbreaking last image” of Alice.
Local Liverpool newspaper ECHO pays tribute to Alice saying Southport stood still in tribute to the local girl.
The i newspaper also leads on the latest on the UK riots with the government said to be “quietly confident” the worst of the rioting has ended. Despite the hopes, police will remain on high alert and ministers will ‘maintain a hardline approach’. The paper says the prime minister has rejected the idea of an immigration crackdown in response to the ‘far-right demands.’
The Guardian leads with a different story regarding the riots. The paper features criticism from the Archbishop of Canterbury of far-right groups for using Christian imagery during the riots. In the paper, Justin Welby calls it an “offence to our faith.”
‘Plot to cripple the NHS’
Away from the lead story, domestic UK politics also features.
The Daily Express leads with possible strikes by junior doctor calling it a “plot to cripple” the NHS. Former home secretary Priti Patel criticises the union for “inflicting more pain and longer waiting lists on the British public”.
The Times also leads on politics. The paper says the government is looking to reform planning rules. It reports that councils are being given the power to “compulsorily and cheaply build up green belt land under plans by ministers to fulfil their pledge to build 1.5 million homes by 2030”.
The FT leads with some international politics. The paper has the results of an opinion poll that puts Kamala Harris ahead of Donald Trump on economic affairs – a key area for US voters. It’s the first poll that puts Harris ahead on the economy, the paper adds. It finds Americans “overwhelmingly” cite inflation as their biggest concern, and that underlying unease over high inflation could yet benefit Trump.