The Times carries a stark warning from President Trump to President Putin: “Back peace or I’ll ruin you.” The paper says the US president’s threat is putting “pressure on Russia” to sign a ceasefire deal with Ukraine. It says there’s a “hope in Europe that a pause in the fighting could come as soon as today”.
Separately, in a letter to The Times, former military chiefs and politicians from the UK, the United States, the European Union and Canada have given their backing to a £100bn Defence, Security and Resilience Bank. It’s part of what they say is “a new suite of financial tools”, aimed at ramping up Europe’s weapons’ production.
The Daily Telegraph leads with a promise from the prime minister that he will tackle an “over-cautious and flabby” British state. In an article in the broadsheet, before he gives a major speech today, Sir Keir Starmer says his Labour government was elected on a simple pledge: change.
He says international events over the past few weeks have injected a new urgency into his government’s mission. “In such uncertain times, people want a state that will take care of the big questions, not a bigger state that asks more from them,” he goes on to say.
“Trade war hammer blow,” is the Daily Mirror’s headline. It says the United States’ steel tariffs have sparked fears of more job losses in Britain. One union warns that the 25% levy on imports to the US could be “disastrous” for an industry struggling to survive. The paper says Sir Keir has been urged to “hit US goods in retaliation”.
The Guardian leads with a warning that the prime minister could face his biggest rebellion, so far, over benefits. The paper says “dozens” of Labour MPs are angry about his plans to cut billions from the rising welfare bill and they’re threatening to vote against freezing disability benefits.
According to the paper, some backbenchers, invited to meetings at Downing Street yesterday, said officials appeared to have been “taken aback” by the strength of feeling.
“Benefits turmoil in No 10,” is how the i sums up the situation. Sources tell the paper that reforms are yet to be nailed down, as the chancellor “seeks to avoid a repeat of winter fuel cut controversy”.
The Daily Mail reports that a “record five million” people have been forced to pay the higher, 40% tax rate. The paper says there’s “fury” at what it calls a “stealth tax raid… on middle-class strivers”. In October, Rachel Reeves vowed to end the earnings threshold freeze, but the paper says there are fears that the chancellor will extend it in her mini-Budget this month.
The Daily Express says the Queen has sent a personal letter of support to the French rape survivor, Gisele Pelicot, after being “tremendously affected” by her “shocking” case.
Ms Pelicot waived her right to anonymity in a mass rape trial involving her ex-husband and 50 other men. A source tells the paper that the letter was very much the Queen’s “instigation and determination to express support from the highest level”.
Finally, pictures of the Queen – and other racegoers on a snowy second day at the Cheltenham Festival – are on the front pages. The Daily Star dubs the meeting “The Cold Cup”, with chilly conditions expected to continue until tomorrow’s Gold Cup race.