Editorial 17 April 2024. 

Wednesday’s newspaper front pages feature a variety of stories, with no strong lead dominating the papers. There are a few hot topics, mostly domestic stories, splashed across several papers. 

For a couple of the right-leaning tabloids, the news that a Muslim pupil has lost a High Court challenge brought against her school in North London, over a ban on prayer rituals, is celebrated on the front splashes. 

The planned smoking ban, which passed its first hurdle in the Commons yesterday, is also reported on. Some papers look at the health benefits of a smoking ban, others report on it being “un-conservative.” Several papers pick up on the 165 Tory MPs who abstained from voting – suggesting PM Rishi Sunak’s party is fracturing. 

Elsewhere, there’s room for more UK and international political stories including the ongoing Middle East crisis and US inflation. 

Away from politics, there’s a light sprinkling of celebrity gossip across a couple of the tabloid papers. 

The back pages cover last night’s dramatic Champions League matches as FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid were knocked out in dramatic fashion. The two English clubs remaining in the Champions League play tonight – most UK back pages focus on their matches. Arsenal face Bayern Munich away, whilst Manchester City welcome Real Madrid to the north. 

‘Prayer ban victory for Britain’s strictest school’ 

The Metro says the girl claimed the ban was discriminatory but that the school – known as Britain’s strictest – argued that allowing prayer risked undermining inclusion.

The Daily Mail calls the decision a landmark court ruling and calls the headteacher the “bravest”. The paper says Katharine Birbalsingh responded to the ruling by hitting out at “bullying identity politics” and describing the outcome as a “victory for all schools”. 

The Daily Express says it’s a victory for secular education. No one, the paper argues, should be able to demand their religion is treated exceptionally in a secular school. The paper also quotes Esther McVey, known unofficially as the government’s minister for common sense, saying: “Hallelujah…from time to time, we all struggle to understand decisions made in the courts. Thankfully, this one is a victory for common sense which will allow Michaela to continue doing what it does better than anyone else.”

The Daily Telegraph notes Education Minister Gillian Keegan has said the ruling should give headteachers confidence now. But others have warned without legislation, schools should expect similar cases be brought against them. 

‘MPs back UK smoking ban but fractures visible’

On Tuesday, a parliamentary vote on a smoking ban took place in the commons. MPs backed it by 383 to 67. 

It will mean those born in 2009 or later will be legally banned from smoking. 

The British Heart Foundation says it will protect future generations from the “devastating consequences of smoking”. 

The Daily Mirror leads on the smoking ban saying Britain now faces a smoke-free future after MPs voted for what is essentially a ban on smoking for Britain’s youth. The paper says the move “could be the most significant health initiative in our era”.

The Telegraph also leads on the parliamentary vote on the ban picking up on the rebellion within the Tory party – many Conservatives see the ban as ‘nanny state’ politics and un-conservative. The paper says MPs were given a free vote on the Tobacco and Vapes bill, so the 59 who voted against it weren’t officially classed as rebels. The paper notes that the number of them will be seen as an indicator of dissatisfaction with the government plans. 

The Guardian says the vote exposed deep divisions within the Tory party and notes that among those opposing the measure were dozens of Tory MPs, including Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch. The paper says the prime minister has “suffered a blow to his authority.” 

‘Angela Rayner police investigation’ 

The Times continues its coverage of Labour’s Angela Rayner saying police are examining several allegations related to whether Rayner submitted false information about her main residence to the electoral register. 

She was registered as living at a former council house until she sold the property in 2015 but appears to have given her husband’s address when she re-registered the births of her two kids in 2010. 

Tax experts have suggested she may owe up to £3,500 in Capital Gains Tax – although she may owe nothing at all.

A source tells the Times that the investigation is “very well resourced” and not limited to a single issue. “There is a volume of material and a clear public interest to fully investigate,” they say. 

Rayner denies any wrongdoing and has said she will step down if she is found to have broken the law.

Nigel Farage makes the front page of the Telegraph after police tried to shut down the National Conservatism Conference while he was speaking. The paper says the mayor of the city signed a court order demanding the event be shut down on the grounds that the speakers could cause public disorder. 

Away from UK politics, the FT leads on US inflation. The chair of the US Federal Reserve, Jay Powell, has warned that inflation could take longer to bring down in the US than previously thought. Data last week showed inflation in the 12 months to March was 3.5%, up from 3.2% in February. Powell said he wanted greater confidence that inflation was “moving sustainably” towards the bank’s 2% target before cutting rates.