Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Thursday’s front pages report on the prison escapee Daniel Khalife, who broke out of Wandsworth jail. The terrorism suspect is considered ‘low risk’ to the public, but officials are still warning not to approach him.
UK-wide manhunt
The Sun leads with the headline “Total Farce” saying the escapee has made a mockery of prison security. Khalife is understood to have clung onto the underside of a van and made his escape through the kitchen.
The former commander of the Metropolitan Police, John O’Connor, tells the paper the escape makes the prison service look like a laughing stock.
The Mail says Khalife is suspected of spying for Iran. But the Daily Telegraph reports that police don’t believe he is driven by any specific ideology. Whilst the Times speaks to a former prison governor who says the suspect should have been held at the high-security Belmarsh jail, rather than at Wandsworth.
Rishi Sunak writes in the Daily Express that he will use the G20 summit in India to discuss deeper trade links with presidents and prime ministers – but also to meet business leaders. Sunak says Britain is seeing a surge of investment in new technologies including electric vehicles and AI.
‘Concrete crisis’
The Sun leads on Suella Braverman who they say has challenged the PM in front of the Cabinet over his plans to hand thousands more student and business visas to Indian citizens in order to secure a trade deal with the country. The paper says the agreement would demonstrate the benefits of leaving the EU – but Tories are furious at the idea of more migration.
The i newspaper continues coverage of the crumbling concrete school crisis. Its own analysis suggests that almost 100,000 pupils across England faced disruption due to the school crisis. The paper says nearly 12,000 students attend schools which have had to remain shut at the start of the new academic year.
The Daily Mirror says nine schools affected by the concrete crisis were turned down for rebuilding funding last year. The paper’s editorial writes the images of school roofs held up by temporary supports will come to define, what it calls – “the Conservatives’ 13 years of failure.”
The Telegraph writes the PM is likely to drop plans to ban children from changing gender at schools. There are fears that such a Bill in the Commons would expose the differences within the party – ahead of a general election next year.