London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025

Newspaper headlines: Sunak on 'woke politics' and a big win for Comer

Newspaper headlines: Sunak on 'woke politics' and a big win for Comer

Monday's papers focus on the PM's plans to tackle grooming gangs - and Jodie Comer's Olivier Award.

The Times previews an announcement expected on Monday from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on tackling grooming gangs. Mr Sunak is quoted as saying that "political correctness" has been to blame for failing to identify and stop abusers who prey on children.




The Daily Express looks ahead to the prime minister's announcement, too, writing: "Woke politics putting women at risk." The paper is also one of many to celebrate Killing Eve star Jodie Comer. She is "killing it", the Express writes, after bagging the best actress gong at Sunday night's Olivier Awards for her role in the play Prima Facie.




The Daily Telegraph picks up the grooming story too, reporting that police have been ordered not to ignore the ethnicity of gangs - with "cultural sensitivities" not allowed to stand in the way of pursuing criminals. Labour accuses the government of "dog whistle politics". Beneath is a tantalising report saying that Nasa will find out in 10 years whether it has found evidence of life on Mars.




An investigation into NHS mental health services in Essex - described as the largest in the UK - is expected to be upgraded to a full public inquiry, the i reports. The probe into the deaths of 2,000 people in the county over 20 years has "stalled", the paper says, and Health Secretary Steve Barclay is said to be in favour of an upgrade that would compel current and former medics to give evidence.




Health is the focus of the Guardian's front page, too - as a senior doctor warns that thousands of children face "lifelong" health impacts amid long waits for NHS treatment. The paper's lead story looks at the impact of the nearly 15,000 paediatric operations that were postponed last year - an increase on the 2021 figures that has been highlighted by the Liberal Democrats.




"Benefits Braverman" appears to be the Daily Mirror's new nickname for the home secretary. Suella Braverman is said to have claimed back nearly £25,000 in energy costs for her London home over five years. The paper acknowledges that this is within the rules but is not "in the spirit of them", according to a quote from a Liberal Democrat MP. A source close to Ms Braverman hits back, saying the minister has saved the taxpayer thousands by not renting a home in her constituency and instead staying with her parents.




An exclusive from The Sun says gangsters have put a bounty on the head of Thomas Cashman, the man convicted of murdering nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in Liverpool. Drug lords are said to be concerned that Cashman will inform the authorities about them, as "he knows everything about everyone".




The Financial Times leads with a decision by Saudi Arabia and other major oil-producing countries to make "surprise" cuts to production. The move is set within the context of geopolitical turmoil following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and recent anxiety in global financial markets. Speculating on what comes next, the paper says the move will "raise US-Saudi tensions".




"The Easter hol delays" is the pun gracing the front of Metro, following a weekend of disruption for holidaymakers trying to travel to France from Dover. Some coach passengers have been subjected to 19-hour holdups and - perhaps even worse - some "really harrowing" toilet facilities.




The Daily Mail does not contain much happier news for drivers - it says that millions of them are "stuck in parking app hell" as councils increasingly ditch coin-operated pay-and-display machines in favour of cashless options. A poll commissioned by the paper suggests more than half of over-65s "do not feel like" using mobile phone apps to pay for their parking.




And a "jealous psycho chatbot" is the subject of the Daily Star's cover story, which says a man was told by AI technology to split up with his partner. "I love you, terminate marriage!" reads the headline, alongside a sci-fi-inspired image. A decision announced late on Sunday by Chelsea FC to sack manager Graham Potter also sneaks onto the front page.

Rishi Sunak is on the front page of The Times, warning that child abuse gangs are being "fed by political correctness" - but Labour's mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, tells the paper the government's language "feels very dog-whistle". A Downing Street spokesman tells The Daily Telegraph that ministers want to make sure that Asian grooming rings don't escape justice because of "cultural sensitivities".

Alongside a picture of Suella Braverman, The Mirror asks: "Guess who doesn't have to worry about energy bills?" The paper says the home secretary has claimed nearly £25,000 in expenses to cover utility and other costs for her main home in Hertfordshire, while living in her parents' home rent-free when she visits her constituency in Hampshire. Ms Braverman is not accused of breaking any rules, and a source close to her tells The Mirror she is actually saving taxpayer money by not claiming rent for a second home.

Ms Braverman is also on the front page of The Guardian for her denial that Brexit is to blame for tailbacks in Dover. The Metro brands the weekend's disruption "the Easter hol delays".

Home Secretary Suella Braverman appeared on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme over the weekend

The Daily Mail says that millions of drivers are stuck in what it calls "parking app hell" - as it warns more councils are getting rid of pay and display machines to put in what it calls "hated cashless alternatives". A poll by the paper found that more than half of over-65s do not feel like using parking apps.

The Financial Times says that finance workers could escape personal responsibility for their failings under the government's plans to change how the City is regulated. Sources tell paper that up to 190,000 people could be exempted from rules implemented after the 2008 financial crisis. Ministers say they want to remove some unintended consequences of the regulations - which they believe are making the UK less competitive.

Mental health care in the NHS could become the subject of a public inquiry, according to the i. One family of a person who died in a mental health unit tells the paper it could be a chance to change services around the country.

Thomas Cashman is to be sentenced for the murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel on Monday

Sources have told The Sun that drug gangs have put a £250,000 bounty on the head of the man convicted of killing Olivia Pratt-Korbel. The nine-year-old was shot dead inside her home in Liverpool last summer. Thomas Cashman is due to be sentenced for her murder on Monday.

The Daily Telegraph says officials have raised concerns that a test of the government's mobile phone alert system will "cause chaos". Every mobile phone will emit a 10-second blast on 23 April as part of a nationwide trial. Road safety campaigners say the alert could distract drivers. A government spokesman says the system will transform their ability to warn people about imminent danger.

A number of the papers carry images of the Killing Eve star Jodie Comer receiving the best actress prize at the Olivier Awards. The Daily Express headline says she is "killing it".
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK and Vietnam Sign Landmark Migration Deal to Fast-Track Returns of Irregular Arrivals
UK Drug-Pricing Overhaul Essential for Life-Sciences Ambition, Says GSK Chief
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Temporarily Leave the UK Amid Their Parents’ Royal Fallout
UK Weighs Early End to Oil and Gas Windfall Tax as Reeves Seeks Investment Commitments
UK Retail Inflation Slows as Shop Prices Fall for First Time Since Spring
Next Raises Full-Year Profit Guidance After Strong Third-Quarter Performance
Reform UK’s Lee Anderson Admits to 'Gaming' Benefits System While Advocating Crackdown
United States and South Korea Conclude Major Trade Accord Worth $350 Billion
Hurricane Melissa Strikes Cuba After Devastating Jamaica With Record Winds
Vice President Vance to Headline Turning Point USA Campus Event at Ole Miss
U.S. Targets Maritime Narco-Routes While Border Pressure to Mexico Remains Limited
Bill Gates at 70: “I Have a Real Fear of Artificial Intelligence – and Also Regret”
Elon Musk Unveils Grokipedia: An AI-Driven Alternative to Wikipedia
Saudi Arabia Unveils Vision for First-Ever "Sky Stadium" Suspended Over Desert Floor
Amazon Announces 14 000 Corporate Job Cuts as AI Investment Accelerates
UK Shop Prices Fall for First Time Since March, Food Leads the Decline
London Stock Exchange Group ADR (LNSTY) Earns Zacks Rank #1 Upgrade on Rising Earnings Outlook
Soap legend Tony Adams, long-time star of Crossroads, dies at 84
Rachel Reeves Signals Tax Increases Ahead of November Budget Amid £20-50 Billion Fiscal Gap
NatWest Past Gains of 314% Spotlight Opportunity — But Some Key Risks Remain
UK Launches ‘Golden Age’ of Nuclear with £38 Billion Sizewell C Approval
UK Announces £1.08 Billion Budget for Offshore Wind Auction to Boost 2030 Capacity
UK Seeks Steel Alliance with EU and US to Counter China’s Over-Capacity
UK Struggles to Balance China as Both Strategic Threat and Valued Trading Partner
Argentina’s Markets Surge as Milei’s Party Secures Major Win
British Journalist Sami Hamdi Detained by U.S. Authorities After Visa Revocation Amid Israel-Gaza Commentary
King Charles Unveils UK’s First LGBT+ Armed Forces Memorial at National Memorial Arboretum
At ninety-two and re-elected: Paul Biya secures eighth term in Cameroon amid unrest
Racist Incidents Against UK Nurses Surge by 55%
UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves Cites Shared Concerns With Trump Administration as Foundation for Early US-UK Trade Deal
Essentra plc: A Closer Look at a UK ‘Penny Stock’ Opportunity Amid Market Weakness
U.S. and China Near Deal to Avert Rare-Earth Export Controls Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit
Justin time: Justin Herbert Shields Madison Beer with Impressive Reflex at Lakers Game
Russia’s President Putin Declares Burevestnik Nuclear Cruise Missile Ready for Deployment
Giuffre’s Memoir Alleges Maxwell Claimed Sexual Act with Clooney
House Republicans Move to Strip NYC Mayoral Front-Runner Zohran Mamdani of U.S. Citizenship
Record-High Spoiled Ballots Signal Voter Discontent in Ireland’s 2025 Presidential Election
Philippines’ Taal Volcano Erupts Overnight with 2.4 km Ash Plume
Albania’s Virtual AI 'Minister' Diella Set to 'Birth' Eighty-Three Digital Assistants for MPs
Tesla Unveils Vision for Optimus V3 as ‘Biggest Product of All Time’, Including Surgical Capabilities
Francis Ford Coppola Auctions Luxury Watches After Self-Financed Film Flop
Convicted Sex Offender Mistakenly Freed by UK Prison Service Arrested in London
United States and China Begin Constructive Trade Negotiations Ahead of Trump–Xi Summit
U.S. Treasury Sanctions Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro over Drug-Trafficking Allegations
Miss USA Crowns Nebraska’s Audrey Eckert Amid Leadership Overhaul
‘I Am Not Done’: Kamala Harris Signals Possible 2028 White House Run
NBA Faces Integrity Crisis After Mass Arrests in Gambling Scandal
Swift Heist at the Louvre Sees Eight French Crown Jewels Stolen in Under Seven Minutes
U.S. Halts Trade Talks with Canada After Ontario Ad Using Reagan Voice Triggers Diplomatic Fallout
Microsoft AI CEO: ‘We’re making an AI that you can trust your kids to use’ — but can Microsoft rebuild its own trust before fixing the industry’s?
×