Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Several of Monday’s front pages lead with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s action on university degrees. The government is planning to crack down on low-quality uni courses – highlighted in two high-profile opinion pieces.
Also featured prominently on most front pages is new Wimbledon men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz – who beat out Novak Djokovic.
Crackdown on dud degrees
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan writes in the Daily Mail, acknowledging the “significant financial investment” needed to study at university – before warning “It’s not fair if students are saddled with a degree that’s not worth the paper it’s written on.”
PM Rishi Sunak takes to the Daily Telegraph to argue that some young people are being “ripped off” because they’re dissuaded from pursuing more vocational options, and are led to believe that uni is the “only route to success.”
Rising interest rates
The Times highlights concern about the effects of rising interest rates, expressed by the UK’s largest debt support charity. Citizens Advice says it is now unable to help almost half the 40,000 people who come to it for debt advice every month, as they have already cut back their spending to the bare essentials.
The Financial Times says new research by the Resolution Foundation think-tank has indicated that soaring interest rates have driven the biggest fall in household wealth since the end of WW2.
The front page of the i newspaper focuses on Sir Keir saying he does not plan to scrap the two-child benefit limit, a line which emerged in his Sunday media round. It reports he faces “anger in his party after ruling out change to controversial Tory policy”.
The Daily Mirror leads with a recent drug trial – results are set to be released on Monday afternoon, suggesting they “could herald the beginning on the end of Alzheimer’s disease.” The paper’s leader column welcomes the developments – arguing it’s frustrating that dementia treatment has been lacking for years when Covid vaccines were invented developed, produced and delivered in months.
The Guardian leads with the record temperatures in Europe. The paper says the temperatures could break even more records on Tuesday.
