The key facts
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham writes in the Times of an 'economic catastrophe and moral failure' due to a million NEET young people; Alan Milburn calls for cutting welfare spending to support young people.
- Telegraph: Chancellor John Healey is considering income tax on passing on a family business; Express — farmers demand scrapping the 'family farms tax' before the 28 October budget.
- Guardian: around 2,000 arrests in France after protests; FT: 47 major AI projects delayed or cancelled this year.
NEET youth and welfare
Prime Minister Andy Burnham writes in an article for the Times that the UK will face an 'economic catastrophe and moral failure' if 'a generation of young people is written off and condemned to a life on benefits'. According to him, around a million young people are not in education, employment or training (NEET); he sees one of the causes in a welfare system that provides no 'support, skills or help into work'. The Guardian quotes former health secretary Alan Milburn, who led the NEET review: he urges the government to cut welfare spending 'to fund support for young people'.
Budget and taxes
The Daily Telegraph reports that Chancellor John Healey is preparing, for the first budget on 28 October, in the paper's wording, a 'tax raid on family business': charging income tax when a company is passed to the next generation is being considered, which 'could potentially nearly double the bill'. The Treasury told the Telegraph that 'tax decisions are a matter for the chancellor, which he will announce at fiscal events', not a subject for routine comment on speculation. The Daily Express writes of farmers' calls to the prime minister to 'scrap the family farms tax' — an inheritance levy introduced by his predecessor Sir Keir Starmer — and demands a reversal before next week's budget.
Grocery promotions and the 'credit crunch'
The Sun, under the headline 'Credit crunch', writes that the government's plans to ban supermarket promotions on items such as cereals, porridge and fruit juice could lead to a sharp rise in prices for basic groceries. A government spokesperson told the paper: 'We will ensure that any changes help families make healthier choices while keeping food affordable'.
Electoral reform and Blankett's warning
The i Paper leads with Lord David Blankett's warning against the prime minister's promise to change the electoral system. The former Labour cabinet minister believes that moving to proportional representation and abandoning first-past-the-post could lead to 'Israeli-style politics'. An unnamed Labour MP told the paper that the reform could mean Burnham turns out to be 'the last Labour prime minister in history with an absolute majority'.
Children, the EU and migration
The Metro covers a new report on inequality among children depending on where they live: according to the paper, children in Blackpool are 27 times more likely to skip school than in Lambeth. The Children's Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, said: 'the postcode lottery is real'. The Independent leads with the conclusion of a report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR): 'Britain must return to the EU' — in the analysts' view, membership has become an imperative amid Russian aggression and the unpredictability of US President Donald Trump. The Daily Mail writes that, according to official figures, 'no fewer than 200,000' people have gained the right to reside since the government's promised crackdown: around 5,000 people a week who have lived in the country for at least five years after legally arriving on visas are granted indefinite leave to remain.
France, the BBC and the AI boom
The Guardian, in its lead article, reports that French President Emmanuel Macron condemned 'unbridled violence': around 2,000 arrests, public buildings burned, hundreds of shops looted; the Independent publishes photos of burnt-out cars in central Paris after a weekend of protests. The Telegraph reports the suspension of the BBC's use of 'embedded civil-servant fact-checkers' who, the paper claims, worked on 'sensitive topics' such as Channel crossings by boat and the Covid pandemic; the BBC stated that 'all editorial and journalistic decisions are made by BBC journalists and editors', and statisticians 'never make editorial decisions'. The Financial Times writes about threats to the American 'AI boom': infrastructure plans worth $10 trillion (£7.5 trillion), mostly data centres, are facing project delays, public criticism and shaky investor confidence; on a 'conservative estimate', around 47 major projects have been delayed, blocked or cancelled this year.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham writes in the Times that Britain faces an "economic catastrophe and moral failure" if "a generation of young people is being written off to a life on benefits". He writes that one million young people are not in education, employment or training, known as "Neets", partly blaming a welfare system that does not provide "support, skills, or help getting a job".
The Metro leads with a new report highlighting "inequalities for children depending on where they are brought up". Citing what it describes as "damning findings" within the report, the paper says "youngsters in Blackpool, for example, are 27 times more likely to miss school than those in Lambeth". Children's commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza is quoted by the paper as saying: "the postcode lottery is real". Elsewhere, pop stars Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter are pictured hugging at the Academy Museum Gala under the caption "Taylor (heart emoji) Sab".
The Daily Telegraph says Chancellor John Healey has drawn up plans for what it calls a "tax raid on family businesses" ahead of his first budget on 28 October. The paper says he is considering charging income tax when "business owners hand their company down to the next generation, potentially almost doubling the bill". The Treasury told the Telegraph "decisions on tax are a matter for the Chancellor to set out at fiscal events, rather than routinely commenting on rumour." A separate headline reads: "BBC suspends use of embedded Civil Service fact-checkers" who it claims worked on "sensitive topics" such as "small boat crossings and the Covid pandemic". The corporation has released a statement saying "all BBC journalism and editorial decisions are made by BBC journalists and editors, in line with the BBC's editorial guidelines, so the statisticians never make editorial decisions."
Warnings from Lord David Blunkett against the prime minister's "pledge to change UK voting system" tops the i Paper. The former Labour cabinet minister suggests "adopting proportional representation" and ditching first-past-the-post could lead to "Israeli-style politics", the paper writes, with one Labour MP telling the paper that it could mean Andy Burnham could end up being "the last ever Labour prime minister of a majority Labour government".
"Credit crunch" is the Sun's headline, writing the government's plans to ban "supermarket deals on items like bran flakes, porridge and fruit juice" could see the cost of grocery staples "soar". A government spokesperson told the paper: "We will ensure any changes help families make healthier choices while keeping food affordable".
"UK has to rejoin the EU," is the verdict of a new report published by the Institute for Public Policy Research splashed on the front page of the Independent. The paper summarises the think tank's warnings that: "being part of the European Union has now become imperative in the light of Russian aggression and US President Donald Trump's unpredictability". The paper also embeds photos of burnt-out vehicles in the centre of Paris following national protests, writing: "France cleans up after weekend of violence and destruction".
French President Emmanuel Macron condemns "unbridled violence", says the Guardian in its top story. The paper reports there were "2,000 arrests as public buildings burned and hundreds of shops looted", embedding a photo of a burning car at Place de la République in central Paris. Elsewhere, former British Health Secretary Alan Milburn, who has led a review into Neets, is quoting urging the government to "cut welfare spending 'to fund support for young people'," according to the paper.
The Daily Mail says "at least 200,000" people have been given the "right to remain" since the government promised a crackdown, citing official figures. The paper says that 5,000 people per week who have lived in the UK for at least five years "having legally arrived on visas" have earned settlement, known as "indefinite leave to remain".
The Daily Express leads with pleas from numerous farmers for the prime minister to "axe the family farm tax" ahead of next week's budget, urging Burnham to U-turn on the inheritance levy introduced by his predecessor Sir Keir Starmer.
Reports of threats to the US "AI boom" lead the Financial Times, reporting that $10tn (£7.5tn) worth of infrastructure plans, which mostly involves building data centres, faces the combined headwinds of "project delays, a public backlash and shaky investor confidence". It writes that the "ambitious data centre plans are running into reality", reporting that "some 47 big projects have been delayed, blocked or withdrawn this year – at a 'conservative estimate'."
Singer Ellie Goulding features on the front page of the Daily Mirror, which reports that she posed "in pink diamonds from a mine embroiled in a pollution scandal". After spending years campaigning for climate action, the paper describes Goulding's move as "eco hypocrisy", although it quotes the singer who says "I am mortified to have made this error in judgement".
Finally, the Daily Star says Libertines frontman Pete Doherty "did scoff a mega meal", an eating feat that "brought him a new found respect from the British public". The paper's verdict on the 2018 Margate cafe meal: "What a Brekkie Shambles".
