Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Tuesday’s front pages report on a variety of topics including the Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s recent comments on reducing immigration. Several of the front pages feature a picture of Ukraine’s Zelensky meeting with PM Sunak as the president begins his European tour.
Braverman’s immigration comments
“Quit the PM pitch and stick to the day job” is the advice given to the home secretary by “despairing” Conservative MPs, according to the Guardian. The paper says colleagues of Suella Braverman have accused her of making a bid for the future leadership of the party in her speech on immigration yesterday. According to the paper, Tory MPs have privately condemned what they call her “outrageous” address, saying it undermined Rishi Sunak’s authority.
In contrast, the Daily Express describes the home secretary’s speech as “barnstorming”. In an opinion piece, the paper says her words were “peppered with self-evident truths”. And it appeals for “the rancour” to be taken out of the discussion. “Sustainable immigration is sensible, not racist,” the Express says.
The Telegraph reports that government ministers have been warned about a sharp increase in immigration by the next election. The paper says a document sent to No 10 last year discusses the possibility of another 1.1 foreign workers and students entering the country in 2024 unless ministers take action to fulfil the Tory party’s 2019 manifesto commitment.
The Mail reports on what it calls a “cynical ploy” from the Labour Party to manipulate future elections by granting voting rights to non-British citizens and 16-year-olds. The paper mentions that Micheal Gove has written a strongly-worded letter challenging Starmer to respond to the allegations of undermining Brexit by allowing EU citizens to vote.
The Times highlights a concerning finding by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, stating that due to a six-year freeze on thresholds, a fifth of all taxpayers will now fall into the higher 40p tax band. The article suggests that this discovery has led to increased pressure from the Tory right for Rishi Sunak to implement tax cuts, especially following the party’s disappointing performance in the recent local elections.
Zelensky surprise UK trip
The Financial Times, along with other newspapers, features a photo of Rishi Sunak welcoming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the prime minister’s official residence. The Daily Telegraph’s headline reads: “Embrace and promise of drones for Kyiv,” whilst the Times reports that during the Ukrainian president’s brief visit, the prime minister drew a comparison between Zelensky and Winston Churchill.
The i newspaper says there is an understanding that Britain will support Ukraine’s Nato membership once the war with Russia has ended. The paper states that Rishi Sunak provided assurances to President Zelensky during their meeting. Although most Nato member states have refrained from publicly endorsing this idea, it is believed that the majority of them support the change.
