Monday, February 3, 2014

Hoffman death and "cronyism" row - papers

Hoffman death and "cronyism" row - the papers

Metro front page 3/2/14 A poignant image leads the Metro - and indeed several of Monday's papers - the face of Philip Seymour Hoffman. As the paper notes, the Oscar-winning actor appears to have "lost his battle with drugs" at the age of 46. Among the outpouring of tributes, John Hurt said: "His contribution was massive."
Financial Times front page 3/2/14 The Financial Times leads with the "Conservative cronyism dispute" that has rumbled on throughout the weekend. The paper also says Spain "will not interfere in Scotland's push for independence" despite the country being "a vocal opponent of separatism in Europe".
Guardian front page 3/2/14 The Guardian says No 10 is being "dragged into" the Ofsted row as shadow Cabinet Office minister Michael Dugher reveals he will write to his opposite number in Downing Street to ask about "a pattern of behaviour in Whitehall where non-Conservatives are replaced by Conservatives".
Independent front page 3/2/14 "Troubled talent" Philip Seymour Hoffman is the big picture on the front of the Independent. Its main story concerns Michael Gove - not his relationship with Ofsted, but a claim that the education secretary's "savage spending cuts have forced sixth-form colleges to scrap A-level courses in core subjects".
Daily Telegraph front page 3/2/14 The under-fire chief of the Environment Agency writes a piece for the Daily Telegraph. He says there is "no bottomless purse" for flood defences and the country must make "difficult choices" about which areas to protect. The paper says the peer "defends his embattled organisation" in the article.
Sun front page 3/2/14 The same organisation is strongly criticised by the Sun. The paper says "desperate flood victims are paying up to 41p a minute" to call the Environment Agency's flood helpline. All the cash "goes to a private firm", it adds. Football and Coronation Street also make the front page.
Times front page 3/2/14 The Times finds some people enjoying "saturated Britain", carrying a picture of surfers riding the Severn Bore. Its main story concerns reforms to divorce law which will reportedly give pre-nuptial agreements legal standing. They will also "rewrite the rules on how money and property should be shared".
Daily Mail front page 3/2/14 Philip Seymour Hoffman appears on the Daily Mail front page too. The paper's lead concerns the "unprecedented access to the heart of government" given to the food industry lobby. It says fast food firms, supermarkets and restaurant chains "have had dozens of meetings with ministers".
i front page 3/2/14 An arresting headline in the i - it says "sexual predators" are being "routinely" freed from prison without treatment to address their behaviour. Prison governors are warning the failures are "creating more victims", it adds. The face of Philip Seymour Hoffman also appears on the front page.
Daily Mirror front page 3/2/14 The Daily Mirror has news of a "shocking welfare blunder" which has reportedly seen prisoners wrongly paid £41m in benefits over the past six years. The paper says only £19m has been "clawed back". The big picture is of Amanda Knox with her boyfriend James Terrano in New York.
Daily Express front page 3/2/14 Also related to benefits, the Daily Express leads with a poll which found that "most Britons" believe the welfare system is "broken" and must be completely overhauled. The paper's main picture is of a stricken bus caught in flood-water in Newgale, Pembrokeshire, after it was hit by a 20ft wave.
Daily Star front page 3/2/14 Finally, the Daily Star speaks to White Dee, one of the "stars" of TV series Benefits Street who reportedly believes "she deserves her cushy life on handouts". She is to "go head-to-head with anti-benefits ranter" Katie Hopkins in a Channel 5 television debate later on Monday, the Star adds.

Tributes are paid to Oscar-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman on a number of Monday's front pages after he died aged 46.

The Metro and Independent say the actor sought help for his drug problems, but now appears to have lost that battle.

Elsewhere, the row over alleged Conservative "cronyism" appears on several front pages - the Guardian reports that Downing Street is being dragged in following the latest salvo from Labour's shadow Cabinet Office minister.

The Daily Telegraph, meanwhile, leads with an article written by Environment Agency chairman Lord Smith, in which it says "he defends his embattled organisation".

The Daily Mail splashes on an investigation it says has revealed the "unprecedented access to the heart of government" given to the food industry.

Discussing that story for the BBC News Channel paper review, broadcaster Henry Bonsu said: "One of the things that David Cameron said in the run-up to the last election was that the next big scandal in politics was going to be lobbying, so access to ministers should be very, very tightly controlled and it shouldn't be about money, power and influence.

"That's one of the reasons the Daily Mail has put it on its front page."

Randeep Ramesh, social affairs editor at the Guardian, said: "This plays into other fears about, perhaps, how the Tories may be captured by big business.

"The Daily Mail is a very populist newspaper and it understands what gets people excited. This is one of those things."


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