The fallout of Tory leadership hopeful Michael Gove’s drugs confession continues on Monday’s front pages. Following an interview the MP gave to the Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, The Times headline reads: “Gove pleads for second chance over cocaine use”. The paper claims Mr Gove’s supporters admitted his campaign for No 10 had been “derailed” by his drug-use confession.
The i newspaper says the current environment secretary has kept the loyalty of his supporters despite the revelations. But the headline says the scandal has affected his leadership bid with fellow candidate Sajid Javid condemning “middle-class drug taking”.
Defiance is the theme of the Scottish Daily Mail’s take on the situation. “Gove: I fight on undaunted” reads the headline. The report says that Mr Gove is ignoring calls of hypocrisy and the suggestion he should withdraw from the leadership contest after admitting to taking cocaine 20 years ago.
Boris Johnson’s pitch for the Tory leadership dominates The Telegraph’s front page. As campaigning begins in earnest, Mr Johnson tells the paper he will cut income tax for more than three million people. The paper – which Mr Johnson writes for – reports that he would increase the threshold for the 40% rate from £50,000 to £80,000 if he becomes prime minister.
David Mundell has a warning for the incoming Tory prime minister that his role as Scottish secretary is more important than ever, according to the Scotsman. He tells the paper the constitution dominates all in Scottish politics and warns “the Union is under threat”. The Tory cabinet minister also declares claims of a near “breakdown” in relations between Holyrood and Westminster are a “deliberate ploy to undermine the UK”.
The National says the SNP has “declared war on arrogant Tories” in its lead story. The paper reports that the SNP has begun “ramping up” its attack on the Tory leadership contest’s Brexiteers – especially bookies’ favourite Boris Johnson. The leadership hopeful is the subject of a leaflet sent out by the SNP.
The Scottish Sun’s lead is a tribute to climber Isobel Bytautas, killed on Na Gruagaichean, near Ben Nevis, on Saturday when she was struck by lightning. The paper reports that her daughter Ashley said : “I can’t imagine life without her, I’m lost.”
The same story makes the front of the Edinburgh Evening news with the headline “It doesn’t seem real” referring to the reaction of the climber’s daughter to the tragedy. The paper also covers the weekend’s Spice Girls concert in Edinburgh.
The Scottish Daily Express also covers the death of climber Isobel Bytautus with the headline: “Daughter ‘broken’ by mum’s lightning death”. The paper, like many others also covers the opening game for Scotland’s women at the World Cup in Paris.
The Herald claims “half of Scots have been targeted by financial scams” in the last year. The report says police have been dealing with increasing numbers of incidents where vulnerable people are being conned out of thousands of pounds, according to the group Action Fraud.
Monday’s P&J leads with an investigation which has apparently been launched by a Scottish government body into a £282,000 payment made to a former boss at the University of Aberdeen.The Scottish Funding Council has confirmed a review into the sum given to Sir Ian Diamond. The paper says the sum was connected to a 12-month notice period.
The courier leads with a story about a midwife who claims to be planning legal action after wrongly believing she had cancer for months. The midwife claims she was put through months of worry after an alleged misdiagnosis.
And the Daily Star of Scotland leads with a row over a takeaway delivery app. The paper says “furious” Scotland football fans threatened to delete the app after it allegedly claimed it was supporting England in the World Cup in Paris.
