The Papers: ‘Hidden hand of Putin’ and ‘This lying PM’
Many of the papers lead on Iran’s attacks on British troops at airbases in Iraq and accusations Russia is helping Iran. “Hidden hand of Putin”, reads the Guardian’s headline, quoting UK Defence Secretary John Healey and referring to Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin. It writes Iranian drone pilots are “using methods learned on Ukraine battlefield”, while Russia also benefits “from oil price rise to fund war with Kyiv”.
“Iran targets our troops” writes the Independent as “British forces come under drone attack at Iraq airbase”. The attacks in Baghdad and Erbil come as the “defence secretary considers option to step in and defend oil shipping lane”, with efforts to block the Strait of Hormuz having “severely disrupted the supply line of crude oil”.
“Brit base blitzed by Iran” says the Sun, reporting “US troops suffered casualties but no Brits were hurt”. The paper adds: “Commanders insisted Putin was ‘definitely’ helping Iran.”
“Under fire” is the Daily Mirror’s headline, leading with the Iranian drone attacks on British troops. Its front page also says: “Despite US President Donald Trump claiming the war was over, a fresh report warns it may drag on for weeks.”
“UK points to Kremlin following attack on base” says the Times, which also leads with Healey’s “hidden hand of Putin” quote. In a separate story on the front page, the paper splashes: “3D printers could provide personalised hospital food.” It writes edible inks – a science in its early stages – could be used “to build foods layer by layer, creating customised shapes, textures and nutritional profiles”.
The Daily Telegraph’s main story reads “Russia behind attack on UK troops”. Its front page also shows the Prince and Princess of Wales competing “to see who can pull the best pint during a visit to the Southwark Brewing Company in Bermondsey, London”. The royal couple “have shown their support for the British beer industry” during their “tour de force” across London, the paper says.
The i Paper calls the Middle East conflict “the oil war”, as the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, “vows to make the world pay for Trump’s bombs by blockading shipping”. The UK military “is planning to protect ships in the Strait of Hormuz ‘with major allies'”, with sources telling the paper “Royal Marines have been told they may be deployed at short notice”.
“Oil windfall gives Russia $150mn [£112.3mn] a day,” says the Financial Times, writing the extra revenue from oil sales makes Moscow the “biggest winner from the conflict in the Middle East”.
The Daily Mail leads with Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch’s latest comments on government files released this week into Lord Mandelson’s appointment as UK ambassador to the US. The former Labour minister was sacked in September after Downing Street said new information about the depth of his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had emerged. Badenoch says Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer “told lie after lie after lie”, the paper writes in its headline. “The Tory leader demanded a sleaze inquiry into whether Sir Keir misled MPs over the disastrous decision to appoint Mandelson”, according to the paper. Sir Keir says he “made a mistake” in choosing Lord Mandelson as US ambassador, but has previously said he did not know the extent and depth of the peer’s relationship with Epstein.
The Daily Express also leads with Badenoch’s comments, writing she “says there are gaps in the Mandelson files and it ‘stinks of a cover-up’ by Keir Starmer”. Downing Street denies claims of a “cover-up” in the release of documents relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment.
“Fakes and ladders”, a play on ‘snakes and ladders’, is the Metro’s headline. It details tradesman Joffrey Bogemans’ experience where he “almost lost his life when [a ladder] he bought off Amazon snapped in half”. He “suffered injuries so severe he had to close down his business”, with the paper saying “dozens of potentially dangerous ladders are still being sold online”.
And finally, the Daily Star leads with news of Ozzy Osbourne’s son Jack’s newborn baby – quipping “Ozzy Osborn“. Jack and his wife Agee “have named their baby daughter Ozzy in a touching tribute to her late rock legend grandad’, the paper says.
“Brit base blitzed by Iran”, is the Sun’s headline alongside a photo of smoke rising from the scene in Erbil in Iraq. According to the Times, “a swarm” of 20 missiles and kamikaze drones was fired at the base. Specialist British soldiers reportedly used surface-to-air missiles to destroy two of the Iranian drones, while others were intercepted by the Americans. The Defence Secretary, John Healey, is quoted in a number of papers, including the Guardian, saying the “hidden hand” of Russian President Vladimir Putin is behind some of the Iranian tactics.
“Attacks on Britain demand a response,” is the message from the Daily Telegraph in its leader column. The paper says the government’s reaction to the Erbil attack, so far, “has amounted to a complacent shrug of the shoulders”. It insists “our enemies need to know that they will pay an overwhelming price for any attack on Britain’s people, territory or interests”.
The Financial Times says Russia is “the biggest winner from the war in the Middle East”, because its earning as much as $150mn (£112.3mn) a day in extra revenue from oil sales. The paper says the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has led to rising demand for Russian crude from India and China.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has “told lie after lie after lie”, are the words of the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, in the Daily Mail. She is criticising his decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador in Washington. The paper says “amid growing claims of a cover up”, Badenoch has demanded a sleaze inquiry to determine whether Sir Keir misled MPs about the appointment.