Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Monday’s front pages are dominated by the continued cost of living crisis and calls for measures to ease the pressure. Most front pages feature an image of Manchester City – who pulled off a dramatic comeback to win the Premier League title.
“Brits feel the pinch,” is the Metro’s headline, as the paper leads with reports the continued rise in energy and food prices has led to a “new wave of first-time shoplifters” forced to steal in order to eat.
“Time for a rescue plan, Rishi,” says the front page of the Daily Express after the head of one energy provider, E.On, predicted that 40% of his customers might be in fuel poverty by the autumn.
The paper says that the Mirror’s front page picks up on comments by power chiefs who are appalled by the cost of living situation. The headline: Energy boss: Prices are too high”.
The Times front splash leads with the same issue and says chancellor Rishi Sunak is drawing up a temporary windfall tax plan. The chancellor is examining models used by predecessors George Osbourne and Margret Thatcher.
PM Boris Johnson will attempt to blunt calls for urgent action on the cost of living by turning the spotlight on the healthy state of the job market – and arguing that work is the best route out of poverty – that’s the front page of the Guardian.
On the i’s front page, the paper claims the government will put the cost of living help on hold as it prepares to defend the PM against the Sue Gray Partygate report – due out this week.
Also leading on Partygate, the Mail says the PM’s allies have reacted with fury at allegations that he tried to “nobble” Sue Gray’s inquiry. It quotes a senior Whitehall source who claims it isn’t true that Boris Johnson sought a meeting with Sue Gray to discuss her findings, with the paper adding the request for a meeting came from her.
The Mirror is among several papers suggesting the report will strongly criticise the UK’s top civil servant, Simon Casem who the paper describes as “the fall guy.”
The Sun leads with a police investigation into the unexpected death of a child at the Birmingham Children’s hospital. The paper says a 27-year-old nurse has been arrested on suspicion of administering poison.
Manchester City’s Premier League win features on plenty of front pages as City pulled off a dramatic comeback.
The Telegraph says City came back from 2-0 down against Aston Villa to clinch the title, describing it as a “five-minute miracle.”