A late intervention in the election campaign by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson leads a number of the papers. The Daily Telegraph says Mr Johnson made a “surprise appearance” at a rally last night and told the audience it was “not too late” to “draw back from the brink” and stop Labour forming the next government. It adds that Mr Johnson previously blamed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for aiding his 2022 downfall by resigning as chancellor, but that the two “buried the hatchet to put the Conservative Party first”.
The Times says Mr Johnson warned that a Labour landslide was “pregnant with horrors” and described Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who last month drew criticism for suggesting the West has “provoked” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as a “Kremlin crawler”. The paper says Mr Johnson had been expected to sit out the campaign and calls the appearance a “last-ditch attempt to win back disaffected Conservative voters”.
Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak decided to bury their differences and unite to try to stop “Starmergeddon”, according to the headline in the Daily Mail.
The Daily Express says Mr Sunak has launched an “impassioned appeal” to its readers, telling them: “Your vote counts, your voice counts… please use it wisely”.
The Conservatives are facing a “backlash” after criticising Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer for saying he would try to spend Friday evenings with his family if he won the election, according to the Guardian. The paper reports that Sir Keir, whose wife is from a Jewish family, said it should be “blindingly obvious that a Friday night is quite important in some religions”, adding some have described the intervention as insensitive and with antisemitic undertones.
The Daily Mirror reports that Sir Keir told a rally at Hucknall Town football club on Tuesday that the election was an “opportunity to turn out backs on 14 years of chaos, division, and failure”. The Euros-themed headline reads: “14 years of hurt never stopped us dreaming…”.
Whoever wins the election is facing a crisis in the country’s prisons, the i suggests. The paper says a controversial scheme under which some prisoners were released early has not sufficiently eased overcrowding and that prisons are just days away from being full. It says a contingency plan never previously used could see the introduction of a “one in, one out” system and inmates driven around the country to facilities with free cells.
The Daily Star reports that pop singer Kim Wilde has joined it in endorsing electoral candidate Count Binface, who this year is standing against Mr Sunak in the Richmond and Northallerton constituency. The paper describes the candidate as the “sanest politician in Britain”.
The UK’s water companies are bracing for an influx of lawsuits after the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that private landowners can seek redress over sewage leaked into waterways, according to the Financial Times. It follows a case bought against United Utilities, which provides water in the north-west, by the Manchester Ship Canal. The paper quotes environmental campaigner Feargal Sharkey calling the decision “massive” and saying it “opens the way for thousands of claims by fishing clubs, swimmers, riparian owners” against water companies.
And the Metro reports that universities are “collaborating” with police to spy on students taking part in protests over the conflict in Gaza. The paper says one e-mail to campus staff showed a police officer describing a pro-Palestinian talk as “one to monitor”, while another asked for the address of a student who had posted pro-Palestinian content on social media.
Boris Johnson’s late intervention in the Conservatives’ election campaign features on a number of front pages.
The Daily Mail calls it a “rousing, rallying cry to disaffected Tories”. The Daily Telegraph reports that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak thanked his former boss just before Mr Johnson addressed Conservative supporters at the event in London – and said he was glad to have his support.
The paper adds that Mr Johnson had previously blamed Mr Sunak for triggering his downfall in 2022 by resigning as chancellor, but that the two “buried the hatchet to put the Conservative Party first”.
The Guardian reports that senior Jewish figures have been angered by remarks made by some Conservatives – who appeared to mock Sir Keir Starmer for wanting to protect family time on Friday nights.
The paper quotes a former president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Marie van der Zyl, saying the outrage was “horribly stigmatising” – as the Labour leader’s wife is from a Jewish family. She added that it was important for Jewish families to observe the tradition of spending time with loved ones on Friday evenings.
The Financial Times reports that some wealthy individuals have started selling assets such as shares and property over fears that a Labour government could increase capital gains tax. One wealth manager, Nick Ritchie, tells the paper there is “a general nervousness” and uncertainty about Labour’s intentions.
Mr Ritchie said a small number of clients were already offloading assets to make sure their gains were taxed at “at a favourable 20%” – but others were taking a wait-and-see approach.
Ukraine has been dealt a blow in its attempt to gain Nato membership, according to the Telegraph. A US State Department official tells the paper the alliance needs to see more evidence that Ukraine is taking steps to prevent corruption before membership talks can progress.
The Daily Express reports that the waiting list for children to join the Scouts is at an all-time high. The Daily Mirror says Scout leaders are urging adults to volunteer for the organisation as 100,000 youngsters are waiting to join more than 7,500 Scout groups.
New research has cast doubt on people’s ability to focus on the job in hand while working from home. A survey of more than 2,000 hybrid workers found that 82% of those questioned admitted watching TV, the Times reports. Gen Z workers – those aged between 18 and 24 – were the most likely to reach for the remote during the working day. The most popular choice of viewing was ITV’s This Morning, followed by Come Dine with Me on Channel 4 and the quiz show Tipping Point.