There is no stand-out lead across Monday’s newspapers. The Times leads with a story about the GMB and Unite unions, which both back Labour, criticising the party’s “proposed ban on new drilling licences for North Sea oil and gas”. Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds is quoted as saying the party’s plan to allow energy extraction to continue until 2050 “would protect the jobs of those working in the sector”. The paper also reports more than 100,000 households “face a squeeze on their finances” as mortgage lenders increase rates. It says Santander and TSB increased their rates over the weekend, with Coventry Building Society set to increase its rates on Tuesday.
Rising mortgage rates lead the Daily Mail, as it reports “a record one in five first-time buyers” have signed up to mortgages of 35 years or more “as interest rates soar”. It notes this will mean homeowners running up “thousands of pounds more debt on the interest over the lifetime of the mortgage”. Under the header “This Morning Meltdown”, space is also found to preview a piece inside the paper about Holly Willoughby’s return to ITV’s flagship daytime programme after a two-week break, following the scandal surrounding her former co-host Phillip Schofield.
The Sun make the return of Holly Willoughby its lead, under the headline “Phil: I won’t watch Holly”. The paper quotes friends of the television presenter who say he will be “too devastated” to tune in on Monday morning. Mr Schofield resigned from ITV after admitting to lying about an affair with a younger colleague.
A few of Monday’s papers lead off with health stories, with the Daily Mirror reporting a warning from infectious disease expert Prof Robert Wilkinson that a tuberculosis pandemic could threaten the UK. The paper’s health editor Martin Bagot reports from South Africa, speaking to TB survivors.
Ahead of hearings this week before the Covid-19 inquiry, the Guardian reports a claim from the Trades Union Congress that the UK was left “hugely unprepared” for the pandemic due to “years of austerity”, comments aimed at the policies of governments led by David Cameron and George Osbourne. The paper has approached both men for comment, and a government spokesperson said it had “provided around £400bn of support during the pandemic to protect lives and livelihoods”.
The Daily Telegraph continues its recent focus on the impact of Covid-19 policies by highlighting a study that examined the efficacy of the UK’s first lockdown in spring 2020. The paper’s headline states the study concluded that the “lockdown benefits” were “a drop in the bucket compared to the costs”.
The front page of Monday’s Metro focuses on the issue of attacks carried out on ambulance workers, with 9,500 incidents in five years according to a new report. “Staff successfully campaigned for sentences for attacks on emergency workers to be doubled as a deterrent,’ the papers reports, but adds there is still an issue with perpetrators not being charged.
The i leads with its own research about attitudes towards artificial intelligence, with more than half of 18 to 24 year olds telling the paper they are concerned the technology “will damage their employment prospects”.
The Daily Express leads with a preview of a speech from the prime minister on his pledge to end small boat Channel crossings and cut the asylum backlog. Speaking in Kent on Monday, Rishi Sunak is expected to “vow to do everything to curb the migrant crisis”, the paper says.
On the front of Monday’s Financial Times there is news that Saudi Arabia will cut oil production, something which will have an knock-on effect on the international market. It also reports “Labour is set to receive a £5m financial boost from the former boss of a car glass repair firm” to help it fight the next election.
And finally, under the headline “We’re oven ready Brits”, the Daily Star leads off on the news that temperatures in the UK could hit 27C this week.
