Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Friday’s front pages lead with the resignation of Chris Pincher as the government’s deputy chief whip after he was alleged to have groped two fellow guests at the Carlton Club, which led several Tory MPs to “complain to the whips’ office about his behaviours”.
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“A massive new headache” is how The Sun chooses to characterise the departure of Mr Pincher for the Prime Minister. The paper was the first to report his departure.
The Guardian says Chris Pincher’s conduct will put more pressure on the prime minister to clean up the culture in Westminster, while the Daily Telegraph says there are also questions about him being allowed to continue to sit as a Tory MP in the Commons.
The Times claims the PM was warned about appointing Mr Pincher, adding his resignation will lead to questions about Boris Johnson’s judgement.
The Daily Mail reports the “shock resignation” might revive the “Pestminster row about political sleaze” – referring to a series of allegations of sexual misconduct and bullying in Westminster that emerged in 2017.
The cost of living crisis features on the Times, the paper claims No 10 plans to cub VAT to “curb inflation and help households.”
According to the Telegraph, Nadhim Zahawi has asked the Treasury to give teachers pay rises of up to 9 per cent, in an attempt to see off strike action.
The UK’s trade performance fell to its worst level this year since records began – that’s the headline of the Financial Times. The paper says the weak performance of exports and a surge in imports highlight the economic effects of Brexit.
The Independent focuses on defence spending as the PM commits tens of billions of pounds to military budgets. The paper quotes the defence committee chair as saying the pledge was “too little, too late.”
The Financial Times also dedicates some of its front-page to the US Supreme Court ruling curbing the ability of America’s top environmental regulator to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The paper says its a big setback for Biden. Whilst the Guardian says the decision effectively hobbles the federal government’s ability to tackle climate change.
The i paper marks the fiftieth anniversary of Britain’s first Pride march. The paper has comment pieces from the PM and five former prime ministers. Theresa May writes that the government “must keep” its promise to ban transgender conversion therapy – and also expresses regret for her own previous opposition to LGBT equality.
Several papers feature an image of 14-year-old Craig Mulligan, who helped murder and dump the body of Logan Mwangi, 5, in a river in Wales. Mulligan, along with two adults, were sentenced yesterday.
The Metro says the judge lifted an anonymity order after he was sentenced for the murder along with Logan’s mother Angharad Williamson and her partner John Cole, who were jailed for a minimum of 28 and 29 years respectively.