Newspaper headlines: ‘Council fat cats’ and Labour’s tax loophole plan

2 hours ago

By BBC News

Staff

The headline in the Daily Mail reads: Record surge in £150,000 council fat cats

There’s a mix of stories on Tuesday’s front pages. The Daily Mail reports that more than 800 council workers are earning salaries higher than £150,000, according to the findings of a campaign group. It says this is the most staff to take home such a salary since the group began keeping records in 2007. The main photo is of actress Marisa Abela at the premiere of an Amy Winehouse biopic, in which she played the titular role.

The headline in the Times reads: Labour set to close non-dom loopholes

The front page of the Times is one of several leading with the Labour Party setting out how it will fund its education and NHS commitments. The Shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves says her party would close loopholes in the Conservatives’ plans to scrap the non-dom tax status, and would raise extra cash by cracking down on tax avoidance. Also on the front page is a report from Rwanda, where the paper says that housing reserved for migrants to be deported have been sold to Rwandan residents.

The headline on the Guardian reads: Starmer told to resurrect Sure Start to help poorest

The Labour Party also features in the leading story from the Guardian, which reports that leader Keir Starmer is facing pressure to resurrect a Sure Start-style programme to help children from poor families. The paper features quotes from Gordon Brown, who says the lack of such a programme has “set back opportunities for millions of children”. Pictured beside the report are eclipse-watchers in Mexico, gazing at the phenomenon that occurred on Monday afternoon.

The headline in the Financial Times reads: Labour tightens screw on non-doms in plan to fund key election pledges

The Financial Times also features a report on Labour’s stricter plan for the end of the non-dom tax status, as well as Monday’s solar eclipse. It also spotlights the challenges currently facing former prime minister, now-Foreign Secretary David Cameron, such as convincing the US to unblock aid for Ukraine. Mr Cameron is travelling to the US on Tuesday.

The headline on the i Newspaper reads: Cameron warns America: boost Ukraine support or Putin will win

The i newspaper also features news from the foreign secretary on the front page, leading with his plan to urge the Republican Party to unblock further military aid for Ukraine.

The headline in the mirror reads: We'll punish tax dodgers

“We’ll punish tax dodgers,” reads the headline of the Mirror as it, too, reports on Labour’s approach to the Conservatives abolishing non-dom tax status. Above, the paper features paparazzi snaps of boxer Ricky Hatton with his arm around Coronation Street’s Claire Sweeney.

The headline on the Daily Express reads: NHS must end long 'cruel' journeys for cancer care

Tuesday’s Daily Express says cancer patients who live far from treatment centres are “marooned”. It cites figures from a campaign group which highlighted that 7.4 million people would have to travel further than 45 minutes to reach treatment, if they were diagnosed.

The headline in the Daily Telegraph reads: Children must not be rushed to transition

“Children must not be rushed to transition,” the Daily Telegraph’s headline reads. What follows is a preview of a report handed down on Tuesday into the medical care received by transgender children. Dr Hilary Cass is leading a major review of the services in England.

The headline in the Metro reads: Forever toxins in our fruit and veg

The Metro warns of toxins in fruit, veggies and spices, citing government tests of pesticide residue on fresh produce. The environmental department found residue on more than half of the samples it tested, so the report says, but the levels of chemicals in all were within the amount deemed safe by law.

The headline in the Daily Star reads: Boff gives cows the right hump

And “boffs give cows the right hump,” declares the Daily Star in its lead story, as it says “Oxford University eggheads” have found the environmental impact of camels is less than that of cattle.

“Labour tightens screw on non-doms” is the main headline in The Financial Times. It says the party’s plans would toughen the government’s own crackdown on the tax perks enjoyed by non-doms, alongside a wider effort to enforce tax compliance. The Times calls Labour’s approach an “inheritance tax raid” on wealthy non-doms. The paper quotes the Institute for Fiscal Studies, which says revenues from the tax crackdown are uncertain. The Daily Mirror reckons the shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has shown “imaginative thinking” to set a “realistic goal”; it describes the tax plan as a “winner”.

Rachel Reeves, a woman with a short brown bob, speaks

EPA

Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves is in the headlines on Tuesday as Labour’s approach to the non-dom tax is reported

The Guardian leads on calls from Labour grandees for Sir Keir Starmer to “resurrect” the Sure Start policy if the party wins the next general election. The former prime minister, Gordon Brown, and three former education secretaries including David Blunkett are quoted. He tells the paper reinventing the policy would be crucial to the well-being of many young people for years to come.

The Daily Telegraph is one of the papers to report research from the Taxpayers’ Alliance that the number of council staff across the country earning six-figure salaries now tops 3,000. It comes, the paper says, as council tax is increased in many areas, services are cut, and many authorities teeter on the brink of bankruptcy.

The Times reports that housing built in Rwanda to accommodate migrants sent from the UK has been sold to local residents because of delays to Rishi Sunak’s policy. The paper says there is only space for dozens of migrants to be housed after 70% of the units were bought.

Figures obtained under freedom of information requests by The Guardian have revealed thousands of pests, including rats, maggots and cockroaches, have been found in NHS hospitals. Last year, there were the equivalent of 18 pest incidents a day across the health service estate in England. The government tells the paper NHS trusts are legally responsible for the maintenance of their buildings, including pest control.

Black smoke billows from a building on fire

Reuters

Smoke billows following a Ukrainian strike on a refinery in Ryazan, Russia

According to The Telegraph, Russia has asked Kazakhstan to supply it with petrol, following continued Ukrainian attacks on its refineries. Kazakhstan has been asked to set up a reserve 100,000 tonnes of gasoline – equivalent to almost 900,000 barrels – should shortages arise.

The Daily Mail reports on Chechnya’s de facto ban on rave and techno music. All songs faster than 116 beats per minute have been outlawed in the Russian republic by order of its president, Ramzan Kadyrov – a close ally of Vladimir Putin. The move is to promote and protect traditional Chechen music and dancing. The Mail notes the ban would extend to the popular Russian military song “Victory Day”, which is too fast to comply with the new restrictions.

A number of papers feature the first major redesign of Scrabble in 75 years. Mattel has launched a simpler, faster and more “inclusive” version which will be printed on the other side of the board to the familiar game. Players will work in teams to complete challenges, and use helper cards. Britt Smitheram, the UK number one at Scrabble, tells The Telegraph it “speaks to a trend in younger people who want to avoid competitive games and the sense of losing, instead favouring teamwork and collaboration”.