“Cheers!” to “another ‘too late’ U-turn from PM”, declares the Daily Express after the “watering down” of pub business rate rises. “Sir Keir starts the year by flip-flopping again,” it adds. Also on its front, “caring Catherine” as the Princess of Wales made a surprise visit to Charing Cross Hospital to celebrate “the worth of NHS heroes”.
The Daily Mail echoes the Express with “pub U-turn’s too little too late”, describing that the climbdown on tax hikes for pubs is “humiliating” for Labour. The move has been signalled by ministers, the paper says, and comes six weeks after the Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled the initial rate rises in her Budget.
The Daily Telegraph also headlines on how Reeves is “to climb down on pub tax” in the latest in a “series of about turns” including changes to the inheritance tax “raid” on farmers and on winter fuel payments, it adds. In Iran, the internet has been shut down “as protests mount”. The Princess of Wales is snapped again at Charing Cross Hospital, where she recalled her experience of chemotherapy and described the “kindness” of NHS workers.
The Times leads with “top defence chief warns of need for extra £28bn”. Under pressure to get forces ready for “possible war with Russia”, the paper says defence chiefs are at the same time “preparing to make huge cuts to the military”. It also reports that Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson has delayed guidance on single-sex spaces due to “cost fears”.
“Send writ like Beckham” leads the Sun, as the paper reports that the famous family’s eldest son Brooklyn has told his parents they can only contact him via lawyers. An “extraordinary” letter also instructed ex-Spice Girl Victoria Beckham and her footballer husband David Beckham “not to ‘tag’ him on social media”, according to the paper.
The Daily Mirror says there is anger in Clacton, constituency of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. The MP was “blasted for ignoring his day job after jetting to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix” and has been dubbed “freeloader Farage” by the paper as it asks “where’s Wally?”
The Guardian reports that 34 school contemporaries of Farage have accused the Reform UK leader of “racist behaviour”. On Wednesday, the Reform UK leader told Times Radio he acknowledged “aggressive banter” but said claims that he had told one fellow pupil to “go back to Africa” and made gas hissing noises at a Jewish pupil were “complete fantasy land”.
The i Paper headlines on “Putin’s shadow fleet”, saying there have been at least 50 “zombie” tankers sailing in UK waters in the past three days. Now it reports ministers see the North Atlantic as part of the front line against the Russian president’s war effort and have pledged to use “hard power”.
A photo of federal agents fighting with protesters in the US is splashed across the Financial Times after the fatal shooting in Saint Paul, Minnesota “sparks clashes”. Also on its front, the “push to reset EU ties excludes financial services”. The City of London “shuns” the “closer alignment”, it reports.
Metro chastises an Albanian burglar for posing with stolen cash and watches, writing “wad a wally… he’ll do time”. The selfies have led to “years in jail” for the group that undertook “at least 44 raids on mansions in a seven-month spree”.
It is “cloak and daggers” for the Daily Star as it reports that the traitors are “at war”. The paper also marks the death of footballer Terry Yorath, leading with Sport presenter Gabby Logan’s words that “to us Terry was just dad”.
