Editorial 04.12.24
South Korea’s political crisis leads many papers this morning as President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law before the country’s parliament rejected the move. It caused a night of chaos and fear for South Korea and now the president is facing calls for his resignation and calls for impeachment.
The tabloids continue their coverage of the Gregg Wallace scandal as more allegations come to light. The papers report the latest allegations that Wallace groped contestants on MasterChef.
The October Budget has ongoing coverage as the papers speculate on a potential U-turn.
Pictures of the royal family – mostly Princess Kate, make many of the front pages as she returned to royal duties last night following her cancer treatment.
‘South Korea martial law crisis’
‘Yoon said martial law was needed to eliminate anti-state forces,’ says the FT.
The FT says the South Korean president’s failure in his bid to declare martial law leads the paper. The paper says Yoon Suk Yeol has signalled he would back down, following the country’s parliament rejecting the move. Troops had deployed to enforce the hardlines former prosecutor’s declaration, which Yoon initially said was needed to “eliminate anti-state forces,” the paper adds.
‘Martial law led to some of the tensest hours in South Korea’s recent history,’ reports The Guardian.
The Guardian says the declaration of martial law led to “some of the tensest hours” in South Korea’s recent history. The president announced that troops have since returned to their barracks after they had gone inside the national assembly.
‘President’s shock declaration triggered angry protests,’ says The Independent.
The Independent says civilians and security forces have clashed after the president’s shock declaration triggered angry protests.
‘Gregg Wallace accused of groping’
‘Wallace thrust his groin in contestants face – BBC edited it out of show,’ says The Sun.
The Sun leads with the latest Wallace allegations. The paper says a former contestant has revealed how Gregg Wallace “thrust his groin at her face three times as she crouched at an oven” – scenes the paper says were edited out of the show. She added that Wallace “made a crude sexual joke about the meat”, the Sun says.
‘Bombshell accusations,’ says the Mail and the Mirror.
The Daily Mail calls the latest accusations a “bombshell.”
The sentiment is shared by the Daily Mirror who also says the “bombshell” allegations have seen two women accuse him of ‘groping.’
‘BBC caves to pressure and pulls special off TV,’ says The Independent.
The Independent notes the BBC caved to pressure and has agreed to pull the MasterChef Christmas special off the TV.
‘Labour tax u-turn?’
‘Chancellor under pressure as she refused to confirm not to repeat her budget hikes,’ says The Independent.
The Independent says the chancellor is under pressure as the prime minister attempts to shift the focus to higher living standards. The paper says fears are growing that Labour could be planning a new tax raid after the chancellor refused to confirm her recent pledge not to repeat her £40bn Budget hikes.
‘Labour will be most pro-business government,’ says Yorkshire Post.
Yorkshire Post says the chancellor has defended her budget. Rachel Reeves has said that she stands by her claim that Labour will be the most pro-business Government in history despite criticism from over measures in the Budget.
‘Civil servants working from home on the rise since Labour came to power,’ the Daily Telegraph.
The Daily Telegraph reports the number of civil servants working at their desks has fallen since Labour came to power, ‘leaving the private sector to pick up the slack.”
‘Kate returns to royal duties’
The Telegraph reports Princess Kate welcomed the Emir of Qatar to the UK marking her first involvement in a state visit since undergoing cancer treatment.
Metro says “It’s Kate to be back!”
The Times say Camilla “shook off a bout of pneumonia” to join Kate and guests – which also included David and Victoria Beckham for a state banquet at Buckingham Palace.