Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Most of Thursday’s front pages lead with images of family and friends attending vigils for the Nottingham attack victims. The families of the two teenagers stabbed to death near their student halls, were pictured side by side as the fathers paid tribute to their children.
Nottingham City Centre attacks vigils
The Times features an image of the parents of two students who were killed – Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar. The parents are seen hugging each other at the vigil. The paper reports that police have denied suggestions that it was warned about the suspect. Police say they are still trying to piece together the movements of the suspect, with his mental health and other motives being explored.
The Mail reports that the parents comforted each other at the vigil to show the compassion and humanity the killer was “so lacking.” The Mirror quotes Grace’s father, Dr Sanjoy Kumar, telling those attending the vigil “the love we have out here, I wish we had it everywhere.” The Express says the students in Nottingham should be have been gathering to celebrate the end of the academic year yesterday, but instead, the mood was of “uncomprehending grief.”
Privileges Committee report
The Privileges Committee report into whether Boris Johnson misled Parliament over partygate is set to be released this morning.
The Telegraph leads with Boris Johnson’s call for Sir Bernard Jenkin to resign from the committee after allegations that he broke Covid restrictions to attend a gathering with drinks. The paper reports the former PM wrote to the Committee chair, Harriet Harmna, accusing Sir Bernard of what he called “flagrant and monstrous” hypocrisy if he himself broke the rules. The Daily Mail calls it an”exquisite irony” that one of Boris Johnson’s “inquisitors” stands accused of attending a boozy lockdown party.
The Financial Times leads with a report that one of the UK’s biggest mortgage lenders, HSBC, is poised to raise rates on some products for a second time in a week. The paper’s front page photo is of Silvio Berlusconi’s coffin arriving at Milan Cathedral for his funeral.