Getty ImagesThe controversy over David Cameron’s lobbying on behalf of the finance firm Greensill Capital continues to occupy many of the front pages.
The Times, the Daily Mirror and the Daily Telegraph print the same photograph on their front pages – showing Mr Cameron and Lex Greensill sipping drinks together while sitting cross-legged around an open fire during a trip to Saudi Arabia last year.
“Sleazy access” is the headline on the front of the Daily Mirror, which says Mr Cameron’s “brazen lobbying” has plunged the Tories into their worst scandal in a decade.
The paper describes the arrangement, which was approved by the Cabinet Office, as “extraordinary” and “highly unusual”.
“It looks a bit fishy, Rishi” is the headline in Metro, which says Labour has accused the chancellor of “running scared” for failing to answer Commons questions over texts sent to him by Mr Cameron on behalf of Mr Greensill.
The paper says sources have made clear that the 700 or so British soldiers stationed in the country would struggle without the US bases and infrastructure upon which they rely.
It reports that plans have already been made to hand the training centre known as “Sandhurst in the Sand” to the control of the Afghan army.
Some of the papers seem perplexed, if not frustrated, by Boris Johnson’s insistence yesterday that the lockdown, rather than the vaccine programme, is mostly responsible for falling Covid infections.
In its editorial, the paper urges Mr Johnson to follow the lead of Nicola Sturgeon, who this week moved forward some of her dates for lockdown easing.
HuffPost UK says Mr Johnson’s messaging struck many as “odd”, but notes it could underscore the increasingly strong influence in Number 10 of England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and the Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, who have both urged caution.
The Times warns against rushing to ease the restrictions, pointing out that Chile was forced into a lockdown even though a third of its population had been vaccinated. “Caution, now more than ever, is the only responsible course for a government that has learned from early mistakes,” it concludes.
ReutersIt prints a snapshot of pubs across England who have no free tables for weeks ahead, including a cocktail bar in Manchester which is fully booked for 10 consecutive weekends from May.
One London punter explains that he’s been unable to find anywhere to have a drink, having called around 20 pubs, which all said they were full.
The Queen is to spend more time at Windsor Castle in her widowhood, according to the Daily Express.
The paper says she’s told sources she’s “most comfortable” living there and that Buckingham Palace is more likely to be used as an office than a home.
The paper reports that she is not eligible to be in a support bubble, because of the 20 staff who have been living with her at Windsor through the pandemic.
Marie WoodsSeveral papers report on the startling discovery of a 175 million-year-old dinosaur footprint on a beach in Yorkshire.
The i says the county’s largest fossil footprint was discovered by an archaeologist who was out collecting shellfish for her dinner.
Eighty-year-old Dennis Fawcett has always picked the same numbers for his EuroMillions ticket, but had to opt for a Lucky Dip when he realised he couldn’t see clearly enough to make his usual selections. According to the Daily Mirror, he “just got looky”.
