Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Partygate and the royals make the front pages for Thursday as yesterday the prime minister faced his first PMQs since the Easter break and the Queen celebrates her birthday.
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The Daily Telegraph reports “Johnson seeks to delay vote on Partygate” as the paper suggests it’s the latest move by Tory whips and ministers to head off a ballot on whether the prime minister misled parliament.
The Guardian claims the PM was forced to abandon plans to block the vote outright, in the face of a backbench mutiny. Whilst The i says Tory rebels fear a backlash due to the controversy surrounding the prime minister’s recent fine for breaking lockdown rules.
The Times spoke to Tory MPs who say the proposal to hold a vote after the Sue Gray report is published will be enough to buy off most rebels – but could spell more danger for the PM if the Conservatives do badly in next month’s local elections.
“PM rigs rules to delay probe” is the Daily Mirror’s headline. It says it is a “dark day’ with the Tories set to “dodge vote over Boris party lies”.
Trade mission in India
The Daily Express reports the PM will unveil investment deals with more than a billion pounds in sectors including healthcare and software engineering on his trade mission to India.
Both the Times and the Mirror report the PM has hinted at relaxing visa restrictions as part of a free trade agreement he hopes to announce before the year ends.
Queen Elizabeth II – happy birthday Ma’am!
Many of the front pages carry a picture of the Queen – who released a new snap of her alongside two ponies- to mark her 96th birthday. The papers offer universal birthday wishes whilst several also report on Prince Harry’s latest US tv interview.
“Get orf your high horse Harry” is the Sun’s advice following claims from the Duke of Sussex that he was trying to “protect” the Queen, while the Daily Mail claims there was “Palace shock at Harry: duke of delusion.”
The Express suggests he had delivered the “ultimate royal snub” by dithering over whether he would attend the Queen’s jubilee next month and failing to answer a question over whether he missed his father and brother. But inside the paper the story is dominated by the the special preparations being made for this year’s derby at Epsom to mark the jubilee.
