The Daily Express leads on a preview of Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Conservative Party conference speech, in which he says he wants to incentivise work over claiming benefits. He will also pledge that the national living wage will rise to “at least £11 an hour” next year.
The Times reports that the proposed benefits changes, which are expected to be announced in next month’s autumn statement, would cut benefits for unemployed people who do not actively look for work or fail to accept job offers.
Former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has told the Telegraph he urged Rishi Sunak to boost defence funding for Ukraine around the time he left the cabinet. Writing in the newspaper, he reveals he called for an extra £2.3bn to be spent, and says Germany has overtaken the British government as the largest European military donor to Kyiv.
Former finance secretary Kate Forbes makes the front page of the Herald, with an interview taking aim at Holyrood’s “profound levels of ignorance” about the Highlands and Islands. She also criticised attempts to reduce Scotland’s educational attainment gap by making school “easier for everyone”.
The Scottish Daily Mail leads with harsh criticism of Humza Yousaf from Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross. In a conference speech, he branded the first minister a “danger to Scotland” because of his alliance with the “extremist Greens”.
The i says Rishi Sunak is “battling to maintain discipline” over Tories positioning themselves to succeed him as leader. A number of cabinet ministers have made public policy interventions in recent days, which many commentators have interpreted as leadership pitches.
The Conservative party conference also makes the front page of the Press and Journal after the prime minister announced major investment in towns. Elgin has been selected to get a £20m boost over five years to help rejuvenate the town, the paper reports.
The new Conservative funding announcements for Elgin, Greenock, Irvine, Kilmarnock, Coatbridge, Clydebank and Dumfries – which will each get £20m over a decade – were described “as transparent as they are insulting” by SNP MP Anum Qaisar, the National reports. She was concerned that the because the decisions were made in Westminster, not Holyrood.
The Scotsman reports that half a million Scots are living in “very deep poverty”, with women and ethnic minorities most affected, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Their statistics showed that 60% of children in poverty had at least one working parent, it adds.
Rishi Sunak’s comments to the BBC are the focus of the main story in Monday’s Metro. The prime minister has recommitted to his target to slash inflation in order to convince voters to back him at the next election. “Easy Ryder” is the caption on an image celebrating Europe’s triumphant golfers, who beat the US to win the Ryder Cup in Rome.
The Scottish Sun reports that Russian cyber criminals target the Royal Family just days after King Charles condemned the Ukraine war.
The Evening Telegraph reports that a sex offender has had his sentence increased after he was found with a weapon in prison. Bryan Wilson, who raped a 15-year-old girl, had made the weapon with lollipop sticks at Perth Prison, it adds.
A new study on Edinburgh’s low emission zone shows falling support for the project as work on implementing the plan begins, the Edinburgh Evening News writes.
The sacking of manger Michael Beale from Rangers makes the front page of the Glasgow Times. It also shows a street full of runners taking part in the Great Scottish Run on Sunday.
A Crieff travel agent has been accused to taking money from customers at his now-empty shop, but not booking their holidays, the Courier writes.
The death of former Aberdeen striker Frank McDougall at the age of 65 dominates the front page of the Evening Express.
The Daily Record leads with a report on a man who exchanged explicit images on his girlfriend online.
Conkers season is almost upon us – but because of “flip-flopping” weather conditions, this year’s haul may not pack the desired punch, the Daily Star warns.
