There is one big story on Scotland’s front pages on Friday and that is the battle to become the next prime minister. The Times calls the contest a “dirty battle” after claims votes were “lent” from the Boris Johnson camp to ensure Michael Gove was dropped from the race. A Johnson supporter apparently tells the paper: “Gove stabbed us in the back – we’ve stabbed him in the front”.
The Scotsman puts it bluntly with a picture of Boris Johnston and Jeremy Hunt, declaring one of them will be PM in four weeks’ time following the last knockout stage of the Conservative leadership selection process.
The Herald pitches the two finalists as head-to-head contenders and bills the next stage as the Hunt v Johnson “face-off”. The paper highlights this new fight between “Brexiter and Remainer”.
The Daily Telegraph gets further into tactical voting claims. The paper references a “voting plot”, saying suspicions were aroused when five MPs promised to support Mr Johnson, but his vote share only increased by three.
The Scottish Daily Mail calls Thursday’s Tory developments “an act of revenge” on the part of Boris Johnston. The paper says Mr Gove “wrecked” Mr Johnson’s campaign to become PM after the EU Referendum in 2016.
“Revenge is sweet” says the Scottish Daily Express, pointing out that Boris Johnson is just “one step from Number 10” after knocking out his arch-rival Michael Gove.
Friday’s Daily Record leads with revelations around two deaths in Elie, Fife. The paper claims police discovered a “bloodbath” at the flat where the two bodies were found. Police confirmed they were treating the woman’s death as murder and a man’s as “unexplained but not suspicious”.
“The Lord’s Player” on the front of The Scottish Sun refers to a Church of Scotland minister who was sacked after an investigation into inappropriate behaviour. Eijah Smith, 32, was dismissed from his post at Queens Park church Govanhill at a sentencing hearing in May.
An exclusive in The National says: ‘If you live in Scotland, you can vote in Scotland” as it discusses a change to the electoral franchise. The paper claims there is a plan to put 50,000 people who couldn’t vote in the last independence referendum onto the electoral roll in time for a potential second vote.
The P&J’s top story is from the courts. Leigh-Ann Paterson, 36, has been jailed for 31 months after attacking her former partner with metal poles and a wooden table leg. The victim had to be placed in a medically-induced coma after the assault.
The Daily Star of Scotland splashes with a showbiz story that claims comedian Jimmy Carr made an offensive joke about dwarves.
And there is outrage on the front of the Edinburgh Evening News where we learn the ice rink that has featured in St Andrews Square for two decades will not be returning this winter. A decision was made by Edinburgh businesses which supported the event.
