Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
The new PM Liz Truss dominates the front pages – alongside widely believed reports that an energy bill freeze for homes and businesses will be one of her first major acts as prime minister.
The Sun says: “Liz puts her foot on the gas”. The paper says a multi-billion pound move to “cap crippling prices” could come by Thursday and bills are likely to be capped for four months.
The i says Liz Truss’s plans to freeze gas and electricity bills at their current average annual cost of just under £2,000 until the end of January. The paper says the new energy lock is likely to be “universal” and will benefit all homes.
But the Daily Telegraph suggests the bills freeze could last longer – until 2024 when the next general election is expected. The paper says they believe a support package as early as Thursday and tax cuts “within weeks.”
The Financial Times says the new prime minister is planning a “massive intervention” to avoid household misery and business collapse. The paper believes she will offer a two-year package of energy relief which would cost up to £100bn.
The Times says it’ll be “straight to business” for Liz Truss amid fears of mass bankruptcies. The paper says her proposal would commit the taxpayer to footing the energy bills, beyond a certain level, to stop widespread hardship.
The Guardian says the new PM might have won the contest but asks if “she can avert the looming crisis”. The paper warns of a divided party, claiming backbenchers are plotting her demise. The paper believes Truss will defy calls for unity and will appoint what it calls a “cabinet of loyalist MPs.”
The Daily Mirror uses its front page to suggest there is little prospect of change in the new government – with the fourth Tory PM in 12 years. The front splash features a montage of images of the four Tory PMs with their faces blurring into each other. The paper’s headline says “same old Tories.”
But the Daily Express showers Truss with lobe saying the Tory party has put its faith in Truss to persuade the nation that she is the prime minister who can “deliver for Britain.” “It will be tough going”, the paper admits, but predicts that Ms Truss will “see off the sneering Jeremiahs”.
“End of an error” is the Daily Star’s way to mark the final day of Boris Johnson’s premiership with pictures of him pulling various faces. It sums up his short 1,139 days in office as an error.