'Kemi gets Tories battle ready' and 'Posh makes some dosh'
The Daily Mail leads with the Conservative Party shadow cabinet reshuffle, as leader Kemi Badenoch prepares her team for the return to Parliament on Tuesday. "Kemi gets Tories battle ready" is the paper's take, reporting that the shadow chancellor was "sacked amid speculation of early election". Dame Priti Patel was replaced by Tom Tugendhat, it says, after she moved into a new "international" role for the party.
The Guardian headlines on what Prime Minister Andy Burnham may say when he addresses the House of Commons for the first time as prime minister and "in 16 years from the frontbench". Burnham will pitch the case for "public control of utilities" being "key to growth", according to the paper, as he will argue "the cost of everyday services to family budgets is holding back the economy".
The Times leads with pledges from the recently appointed Chancellor, John Healey, writing that he will set out a "clear path" on a 3% defence spending target. "I'll prove I'm no hypocrite on defence" is how the paper summarises Healey's attitude as expressed during a sit-down interview with the paper, during which he warns "that filling a £5 billion hole in funding would mean 'difficult decisions' at next months budget".
SAS chief warns that "Army witch hunts put UK at risk" is the Daily Telegraph's top story, which reports that special forces recruitment is "suffering thanks to endless legal action against soldiers". The paper quotes the new president of the SAS Regimental Association (Sasra), Retired Brigadier Ed Butler, who accuses the government of "not having the backs" of personnel.
"Prem's £10m crypto cash frozen" splashes the Sun, writing that the National Crime Agency, which it calls "Britain's FBI", has opened an investigation into a crypto sponsor of the Premier League, Sorare, over "suspicions of criminality". It continues: "Sorare, which runs a digital card game backed by top stars such as Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, denies any wrongdoing." Elsewhere, "Posh finally makes some dosh" features next to a photo of Victoria Beckham, reporting on the improved fortunes of her previously ailing eponymous fashion label.
"Crunch warning for consultants" is the FT's lead. They are on a "collision course with their clients over the cost of giant IT projects, as companies look to AI to cut spending on external advisers". Multiple large and small businesses have spoken to the paper saying they are "demanding lower fees or moving work in-house", mounting pressure on the "Big Four" consulting firms: KPMG, Deloitte, EY and PwC.
A heartwarming story leads Metro, headlining "Dad's gift of life" after a "rare double organ swap" saves his six-year-old son. It explains that the father, Gary, donated "part of his liver and bowel" in a transplant for his son Harry who "was born with bowel abnormalities". The paper quotes Gary as saying: "You'd give your child anything."
"Million OAPs [old-age pensioners] hit with top-rate tax bills," the Daily Express says, reporting that "the number of older people paying 45% or 40% tax has more than doubled in just five years". It blames the "freezing of income tax thresholds in 2021 which created a stealth tax where rising pensions and other income drag more OAPs into higher-rate bands".
"Killer kitchen dust" is the i Paper's headline, writing that loved ones of the victims of silicosis will "receive higher compensation" as "new legislation goes to Parliament". The dust-related disease is caused by cutting "kitchen worktop stone" or inhaling asbestos often found in older buildings.
The Daily Mirror says Ghislaine Maxwell "plans to beg old friend [US President] Donald Trump to free her from a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking", citing an unnamed insider. It comes as Maxwell, described as "paedophile Jeffrey Epstein's ex-girlfriend", had her latest appeal dismissed by a US judge in what was called a "frivolous" effort.
"Flipping idiots!" rounds off the Daily Star with road safety experts blaming car accidents on a "huge rise" of motorists "driving in flip-flops".
