Newspaper headlines: 'Starmer backs attack ad' and 'coronation details'

By BBC News
Staff
Monday's papers have a mix of leads, including follow ups on a controversial attack ad campaign by the Labour Party on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. An advert on social media by the party last week said the prime minister did not believe "adults convicted of sexually assaulting children" should go to prison. The Times' front page reports Labour is planning more "provocative and aggressive" adverts, blaming Mr Sunak "for crashing the economy and for soaring mortgage and council tax rates". The paper claims to have seen new ads set to be released this week, and quotes an ally of Keir Starmer as saying "you ain't seen nothing yet". Like most of the other papers, the Times also carries a full-length picture of the Princess of Wales dressed in blue with her son Prince Louis, taking part in the Easter Sunday celebrations.
Labour attack ads also lead the Daily Mail. Its lead is based on quotes from Sir Keir Starmer, who has written a piece for the paper. The Labour leader says he makes "absolutely zero apologies" and is backing Labour's stance on crime, "no matter how squeamish it might make some feel". The paper says "critics, including hardliners in his own party, described [the advert] as gutter politics".
A four-day strike by junior doctors in England will begin early on Tuesday morning, and there are stories across Monday's papers about contingency planning. The i reports that "GPs, pharmacists and matrons are being drafted in" to help cope with the disruption. The front of the paper also previews a story about 'Operation Coronation', with details of the big event next month. Inside it has an opinion piece from the BBC's former royal correspondent Jennie Bond on Camilla, the Queen Consort.
The Daily Telegraph also leads with the anticipated fallout of the junior doctors' strike, reporting that some "GP surgeries are suspending routine appointments for up to a week to deal with the NHS strike by junior doctors". Like a number of other outlets, the front of the paper marks the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, with a story headlined "Northern Ireland peace is fragile in wake of threats, says minister". It carries an interview with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, who talks about the security operation in place ahead of the visit to the region by US President Joe Biden.
The Sun goes in big on details of the coronation, with the headline "Air Con to the Throne", over an article about the modes of transport King Charles will be taking on the day. "Buckingham Palace said the modern Diamond Jubilee State Coach will carry Charles and Camilla to Westminster Abbey on May 6," it reports. "But they will have a bumpy return trip in the 260-year-old Gold State Coach."
Another health story on the front of the Daily Mirror, but not focusing on next weeks' strikes. Headlined "Hospital Trek Scandal", the paper reports "one in three 999 patients have made their own way to hospital due to record waits for ambulances".
The Guardian leads with the results of "the biggest and most comprehensive survey on race inequality in the UK for more than 25 years". It reports "over a third of people from ethnic and religious minorities have experienced racially motivated physical or verbal abuse in their lifetime". It also carries striking images from the funerals of British-Israeli sisters Maia and Rina Dee, who were killed in a shooting in the occupied West Bank on Friday.
Some good news on the front of Monday's Financial Times, with the paper's own research showing "the world's leading economies are showing surprising resilience", and an expectation "the global economy is set to avoid a sharp slowdown this year".
The Daily Express takes a different tack, leading on a story about the closure of bank branches. "Banks' betrayal of loyal customers is laid bare in findings that millions prefer dealing with someone in person rather than an online service," it reports.
And finally, the Daily Star has a story about the scope of a mission to Jupiter that the paper is partially involved in funding. Under the headline 'Boffs warn, E.T. is a prawn', the paper says "Space boffins advising the alien-hunting mission to Jupiter reckon we're looking for prawns rather than little green men".