Newspaper headlines: Holly's 'speech on Phil' and PM 'wants tax cut'

By BBC News
Staff
A mix of stories make up Sunday's front pages. With Holly Willoughby set to make her return to the This Morning sofa on Monday, the Sun on Sunday reports she will "deliver an emotional statement" about the scandal which embroiled her former co-host Phillip Schofield. There is also room at the top of the paper for Manchester City's "Mancnificent" 2-1 victory over their rivals Manchester United in Saturday's FA Cup final.
A different Holly Willoughby story makes the front of the Sunday Mirror. Under the headline "Auntie Holly", the paper reports the BBC has made an approach for the daytime star. It quotes a source as saying "the drama at ITV played into their hands".
The Sunday People also claims the BBC is plotting to "poach" Holly Willoughby. For its lead story, the People reports Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murthy have donated $3m (£2.4m) to US college Claremont McKenna, where Ms Murthy studied economics and French. The donation was given in 2018 while Mr Sunak was an MP for Richmond. The People quotes a source close to the PM as saying he and his wife "give money to a wide range of philanthropic causes and charities".
A slated pre-election cut to income tax makes the front of the Sunday Telegraph. It reports a cut of up to 2p in the pound could be on the cards, with officials believing "the economy is likely to recover sufficiently... to introduce a cut in April". Mr Sunak wants to reduce income tax or national insurance and head into the election next year promising to do more, says the paper.
Tax cuts are also the focus of the Sunday Express, reporting the prime minister is putting his party on "an election war footing". It says these could be introduced relatively soon, with Treasury officials being told "to draw up a package of giveaways to be announced within months".
The Observer says Rishi Sunak is facing criticism in the run up to the Covid inquiry for his actions as chancellor during the pandemic. The paper says a leading scientists has attacked as "spectacularly stupid" his Eat Out to Help Out scheme to encourage diners back into restaurants, which was introduced before the second national lockdown.
The Mail on Sunday leads with a story about the Labour party, and what it says is a "class war on middle Britain". The paper reports "far-reaching proposals [are] being circulated to party members and trade unions", which would aim to divert "resources from rich areas to poorer postcodes". Labour said the proposals are in draft documents and "not a final statement of party policy".
The Sunday Times says Ukraine has issued a new plea for weapons to enable it to hit back at Russia. It quotes aides saying the country "still lacks sufficient weapons" for its spring offensive. The paper also reports that Tony Danker, the ousted director-general of business lobby group CBI, plans to sue the organisation over the circumstances of his departure.
And accompanied by a picture of a Dalek from Doctor Who, and a Terminator-like robot, the Daily Star on Sunday reports "boffins warn artificial intelligence could wipe us all out" with a Covid-style pandemic.

The Sunday Telegraph leads with a report that the prime minister wants to reduce National Insurance, or income tax, by up to 2p, "before next year's general election".

According to the paper, senior figures have "tentatively concluded" that the economy is likely to recover sufficiently for a cut to be introduced next April, despite the "stickiness" of inflation, as it puts it. A government source tells the Telegraph that no-one should be in any doubt that the Tories will go into the election "having cut taxes and promising to do more".

The Sunday Express says Rishi Sunak is putting the Tories on "election alert" with "autumn tax cuts to heal Britain".

The paper says Treasury officials have been told to draw up a "package of giveaways to be announced within months". It adds that the prime minister believes that letting hard-hit families keep more of their earnings will help ease the cost of living struggle and will help keep him in power.

The Sunday Times reports that the Ukrainian counter-offensive against Russia has not yet begun, because Kyiv still lacks sufficient weapons and ammunition to push out the Russians and take back the country.

One of President Zelensky's closest advisers, Dr Ihor Zhovkva, tells the paper that Ukraine needs more firepower and says "the EU still isn't doing enough". He praises Britain - saying it is now "one of the leading countries in showing real incentive and courage" in how to really bring victory to his country.

"No class," declares the Sunday People's headline. It says that "while British schools crumble", Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murthy, have donated £2.5m to a college in the US where Ms Murthy studied.

The paper says donation was given in 2018, three years after Mr Sunak became an MP. The People quotes a source close to the prime minister saying that he and his wife "give money to a wide range of philanthropic causes and charities".

The Sun on Sunday says that Holly Willoughby will deliver what it calls "an emotional statement" on Monday about her former co-host, Phillip Schofield.

It will be the her first day back on This Morning since he revealed he had lied about an affair with a young colleague. A source tells the paper: "Holly has written her words carefully and will be sensitive."

The Sunday Express says the presenter has been told she must "bare her soul" in what it calls "a career-defining return" to ITV.

"Auntie Holly," is the headline on the front of the Sunday Mirror. It reports that the BBC has made a move to "poach" the daytime star. The paper says the BBC declined to comment and an ITV spokesman did not respond to a request for a comment.

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"They're the Top Guns," declares the Sunday Express after Manchester City's FA Cup victory, thank to two goals from Ilkay Gundogan. The paper says he has fired his side to within touching distance of the treble, with the fastest goal in Cup final history, just 12 seconds into the game against Manchester United.

"Two down, one to go," says the Sunday Times.

City are "Mancnificent" insists the Sun on Sunday.