Monday, January 6, 2014

Benefits 'turmoil' and Helmand fears

Benefits 'turmoil' and Helmand fears on front pages

Daily Mail front page 6/1/14 The Daily Mail says Downing Street is in "disarray" over the future of benefits for better-off pensioners. It says David Cameron appeared "to ditch a cherished pledge" to keep universal winter fuel allowances and free bus passes and TV licences, but hours later, No 10 said he was "personally committed" to them.
Times front page 6/1/14 As a change from images showing the destructive power of waves and wind, the Times leads with a beautiful "red sky in the morning" weather photo. Its top story says British military experts believe "hard-fought territory in southern Afghanistan will fall to the Taliban" soon after UK troops leave this year.
i front page 6/1/14 The i leads with the same story as the Mail - "PM refuses to protect perks for pensioners". The paper also carries a large picture of flooding, and the arresting teaser headline, "Enoch 'was basically right', says Farage". It means UKIP leader Nigel, of course, but readers have to turn to page 11 to find out more.
Daily Telegraph front page 6/1/14 The Daily Telegraph's main image is of batsman Michael Carberry holding his broken bat on the final day of England's Ashes annihilation. The lead story says George Osborne is to set out plans "to cut taxes by extending the austerity programme and creating a permanently smaller State".
Independent front page 6/1/14 Footballing great Eusebio looks out from the front of the Independent. Below that, the lead story is an interview with England's chief inspector of hospitals, who says he has so far seen "good, excellent, even outstanding care, despite a year of inquiries into underperforming hospitals and negative media reports".
Daily Mirror front page 6/1/14 The Daily Mirror says the detective leading the Stephen Lawrence murder inquiry has been removed from his post, much to the anger of his mother. "It's like they're winding down - it's wrong," Doreen Lawrence says of Clive Driscoll's "axing".
Financial Times front page 6/1/14 The Financial Times reports that "Brussels is set to ease flagship financial reforms so that big European banks are not automatically forced to split lending operations from risky trading". The paper says it has seen a draft European Commission plan to that effect.
Daily Express front page 6/1/14 Looking more like an island than a town, the Daily Express carries a picture of flood-hit Tewkesbury on its page one. The main story relates to comments made by David Cameron on Sunday about new restrictions on economic migrants claiming UK benefits to send to their families back home.
Sun front page 6/1/14 "Born in a onesie" - that's the very eye-catching headline in Monday's Sun. It tells the story of Jessica Wynter whose baby "suddenly popped out" but was fortunately caught in the leg of the all-in-one she was wearing. "The onesie saved my baby's life," she says.
Daily Star front page 6/1/14 Finally, it's another Celebrity Big Brother story for the Daily Star - a purported sexual encounter between two of the housemates. Elsewhere, the front page says Britons are at risk of being targeted by terrorists at the Winter Olympics in Russia next month.

Confusion over "perks for pensioners" is the lead in two of Monday's newspapers, after Downing Street appeared to send somewhat mixed messages about the future of benefits like universal winter fuel allowance.

It's benefits of a different kind in the Daily Express, meanwhile, which focuses on a promised clampdown on migrants to the UK sending payments back to family overseas.

Elsewhere, the Times carries a warning from British military commanders that the Taliban will quickly retake hard-won areas of Afghanistan when UK troops leave later this year.

Images of flooding also appear on several front pages alongside warnings of more weather woe to come.


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