Today’s news summary – Paper Talk 

Thursday’s front pages report on the fallout of the NHS strikes. Most of the papers run a picture of Ukraine’s president Zelenksy meeting US president Joe Biden in Washington. 

NHS strike action 

The Daily Mirror accuses the government of “crippling” the health service by responding to demands for pay negotiations with “deadly silence.” 

The Daily Star features a picture of the PM under the headline: “missing.” The paper says “As the whole country goes on strike and our NHS crumbles before our very eyes, we seem to have lost our prime minister.”

The Guardian’s political editor Pippa Crerar says it seems the PM is trying to use the strikes as an opportunity to prove his detractors wrong by facing down the unions to show he’s not weak. But she notes with more than 1.5m workers balloting for strike action it is proving to be a “risky strategy.”

The Daily Express reports on the fears that thousands of people are unwell and struggling at home after giving up on calling an ambulance. The paper says those who delayed seeking treatment could “overwhelm” the NHS in the coming days. 

The Times says hospitals are “braced” for an “extremely tough” festive season, as demand rebounds after the strikes. The Daily Telegraph suggests that striking NHS workers will be offered a “fast-tracked” pay deal next year in an effort to break the deadlock. 

Zelensky visits the US

Many of the front pages feature an image of President Zelensky and President Biden meeting on US soil. 

The Daily Mail describes him as “the man of the year” – picking up on a comment from the US president. Whilst the Times says Washington “rolled out the red carpet” for Zelensky, saying the US gave him a “hero’s welcome.” The Telegraph says it was Zelensky’s “Churchill moment” – his speech to Congress echoed the wartime leader’s Christmas address in 1941.