BBC News

Newspaper headlines: 'Another day, another lie' and PM 'under the cosh'

By BBC News
Staff

Published
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Once again, the prime minister features prominently on the front pages. "Mum's the word" is the Metro's headline. The paper reports on the birth of Boris and Carrie Johnson's daughter - and it suggests the prime minister is now "out of firing line" after a week of negative headlines. It says that calls for him to quit are growing amid continuing public anger over newly imposed Covid restrictions, the Christmas parties row, and what the paper calls "wallpapergate" - renewed scrutiny over the refurbishing of his flat.
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The Daily Express also reports that the prime minister is under pressure, and adds that despite the current problems Mr Johnson is facing, the PM will "happily" take "some family time" following the birth of his daughter on Thursday morning. The paper also reports on a £2bn deal that has been signed to build "bullet trains" in the UK.
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The Daily Telegraph's main story reports that Lord Geidt is on the brink of quitting as the PM's independent adviser on standards after claims Mr Johnson misled him over the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat. Lord Geidt carried out an investigation into the funding of the refurbishment earlier this year and cleared Mr Johnson of a conflict of interest over a donation from Lord Brownlow to pay for the work, saying the PM appeared not to be aware of the arrangement with the peer. But documents released by the Electoral Commission show that Mr Johnson sent a WhatsApp message to Lord Brownlow in November last year to ask for extra money to go towards the works.
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The Daily Mirror leads with "another day.. another lie". It also reports that Lord Geidt was misled over the cost of the refurbishment of the Downing Street flat, and says the prime minister "did know all about "£112k refurb cash". The prime minister's official spokesman said Mr Johnson had "acted in accordance with the rules at all times" and "had made all the necessary declarations".
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The Guardian also says Mr Johnson has been accused of misleading Lord Geidt over the flat redecoration. It says the prime minister faces a potential suspension from the House of Commons as MPs demand a fresh investigation into his personal donors. The paper also pictures actor Sienna Miller and reports her comments that the Sun newspaper's discovery that she was pregnant in 2005 forced her to make decisions about her body that she has to live with everyday.
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The Times reports that there has been a "poll blow" for the Tories as trust in the prime minister falls amid recent developments. It also pictures Timujin, one of three camels taking part on this year's Christmas Eve service at Salisbury Cathedral, and the Reverend Pete Atkinson.
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The i newspaper reports that contenders for the leadership of the Conservative Party are circling "a PM in peril". It pictures Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and says that Mr Sunak's backers are "canvassing support" for him if things "fall down" for the prime minister. While the paper reports Ms Truss is "wooing" backbenchers over dinner. The paper also reports that a Covid "Plan C" is being drawn up and officials are preparing tougher restrictions to be approved by ministers, if the current Plan B fails to bring down infections.
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The Daily Mail headlines with "Tories' Plan B mutiny". The paper reports that up to 50 MPs are set to vote against the new Covid restrictions, amid the prime minister being hit by further claims regarding Christmas parties in 2020 and the "fresh row" over No 10 redecorations.
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The Daily Star reports that "No 10 suggests there's no need to wear masks in shops if you're singing". The paper pictures a singing Mr Johnson as Maria from the musical The Sound of Music.
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The Sun headlines with "WFP", which the paper uses as short for "working form pub". It reports on ways to "get round new Covid rules", with one of them being that people can work from the pub from Monday, as no restrictions have been introduced to pubs, restaurants and other hospitality settings.
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And finally, the Financial Times reports that business leaders were met with a "frosty response" from the government on Thursday. This comes after businesses requested extra support from the Treasury to help them deal with a loss of sales during the Christmas period, due to new Covid restrictions being announced on Wednesday.

The Daily Telegraph says that Boris Johnson's adviser on standards is on the "verge of quitting" - following claims that the prime minister gave misleading information about the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat.

The paper reports that Lord Geidt - who investigated the way the renovation was funded - will consider his position unless Mr Johnson can explain why "vital evidence" was not shared. Yesterday, the Electoral Commission fined the Conservatives almost £18,000 for breaching the rules on reporting donations.

The Guardian says if Lord Geidt was in fact misled, the PM faces a "potential suspension from the House of Commons". No 10 denies any inconsistency in the evidence put forward, but The Daily Mirror is not convinced, summing up the story with the headline: "Another Day...Another Lie".

A YouGov poll for The Times suggests that more than two-thirds of voters now have doubts about Mr Johnson's integrity - as the row about last year's Christmas party at Downing Street continues. The paper says he is facing battles "on several fronts", with up to 100 Tory MPs expected to vote against his plans for Covid vaccine passports in England next week.

The Daily Express believes the prime minister is "under the cosh", while the Metro says his only respite yesterday came courtesy of his wife, Carrie, giving birth to their second child.

Image source, Getty Images

According to the i, possible successors to Mr Johnson are canvassing support - in case "things fall down" for him. The foreign secretary, Liz Truss, is understood to have been "quietly wooing MPs on the sidelines" while those close to Chancellor Rishi Sunak have apparently been doing the same. One of his allies disputes the story, while a spokesman for Ms Truss claims it's "total and utter rubbish".

The Financial Times reports that the government has rejected demands from business leaders for additional support for companies facing a loss of trade because of "Plan B" Covid restrictions in England. The British Beer and Pub Association fears the rule changes will hit sales by up to 30%, but Treasury officials say there is already help in place.

The Daily Mail has an update on Geronimo, the alpaca that was put down in the summer amid disputed claims it had bovine tuberculosis. The paper reveals that post-mortem tests on the animal have found no trace of the disease, and Geronimo's owner, Helen Macdonald, could now sue ministers over its manslaughter.

The environment secretary, George Eustice, and the UK's chief vet, Dr Christine Middlemiss, previously defended killing the alpaca - insisting it was vital to halt the spread of bovine TB. Mr Eustice's department declined to comment on the latest tests.

And the Sun thinks that Lego may be a more sensible investment than gold, art or stocks and shares. Research by the Higher School of Economics in Moscow has found that the secondary market for old Lego kits rises by 11% every year - and is less volatile than the bullion and bond market. The study also suggests that people can make a 600% return on rare, limited edition sets of the children's bricks.