Several of Sunday’s newspapers feature stories about reported divisions at the top of government which have emerged this week. According to the Sunday Times, external, Health Secretary Wes Streeting had what sources have described as a “very shouty” phone call with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney on Tuesday afternoon.
Earlier this week, No 10 denied that Starmer’s closest aide was behind briefings to newspaper journalists that Streeting was preparing an imminent leadership challenge.
The Sunday Telegraph, external says former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner is laying the ground for a leadership challenge, claiming she has been offering prospective Cabinet roles to MPs in exchange for support. Her office has rubbished the report.
In the Sunday Mirror, external, Rayner uses her first interview since leaving her position to condemn “tittle-tattle in Westminster”, describing recent leadership challenge speculation as “arrogant”.
The Sun on Sunday, external claims Starmer vetoed the returns of former cabinet ministers David Miliband and Ed Balls to Parliament. Downing Street has denied the report.
Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice has told the Sunday Express, external that he believes the forthcoming Budget will be the last given by Rachel Reeves as chancellor.
The Daily Star Sunday’s, external editorial focuses on the government’s new proposals to tighten the asylum system, with Shabana Mahmood’s plans inspired by policies implemented in Denmark. “If the Danish scheme works it may well end up saving this government’s bacon”, the editorial says.
There is more about those plans in the Sunday Times too, which says the home secretary is planning to extend the period after which an asylum seeker can claim settled status by 15 years in some case.
The Mail on Sunday, external reports that the White House is angry that Dutch author Rutger Bregman – who it describes as a fierce critic of Donald Trump – has been asked to deliver the annual Reith lectures. The paper says he used the events to draw parallels between Trump’s America and the rise of fascism in the 1930s. The BBC said the views expressed were always those of the speaker, not the corporation.
And the Observer, external reports that local councils have spent more than £70,000 removing unauthorised flags, based on hundreds of freedom of information requests.
