'Neets crisis is moral failure' and 'Credit crunch'

8 hours ago

News image — Prime Minister Andy Burnham writes in the Times that Britain faces an "economic catastrophe and moral failure" if "a generation of young people is being written off to a life on benefits". He writes that one million young people are not in education, employment or training, known as "Neets", partly blaming a welfare system that does not provide "support, skills, or help getting a job".

The headline on the front page of the Times reads: "PM: Neets crisis is moral failure". — Prime Minister Andy Burnham writes in the Times that Britain faces an "economic catastrophe and moral failure" if "a generation of young people is being written off to a life on benefits". He writes that one million young people are not in education, employment or training, known as "Neets", partly blaming a welfare system that does not provide "support, skills, or help getting a job".

"'Postcode lottery is real': British kids in crisis," writes the Metro in its headline on the front page. — The Metro leads with a new report highlighting "inequalities for children depending on where they are brought up". Citing what it describes as "damning findings" within the report, the paper says "youngsters in Blackpool, for example, are 27 times more likely to miss school than those in Lambeth". Children's commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza is quoted by the paper as saying: "the postcode lottery is real". Elsewhere, pop stars Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter are pictured hugging at the Academy Museum Gala under the caption "Taylor (heart emoji) Sab".

"Healey plans raid on family businesses," reads the headline on the front page of the Daily Telegraph. — The Daily Telegraph says Chancellor John Healey has drawn up plans for what it calls a "tax raid on family businesses" ahead of his first budget on 28 October. The paper says he is considering charging income tax when "business owners hand their company down to the next generation, potentially almost doubling the bill". The Treasury told the Telegraph "decisions on tax are a matter for the Chancellor to set out at fiscal events, rather than routinely commenting on rumour." A separate headline reads: "BBC suspends use of embedded Civil Service fact-checkers" who it claims worked on "sensitive topics" such as "small boat crossings and the Covid pandemic". The corporation has released a statement saying "all BBC journalism and editorial decisions are made by BBC journalists and editors, in line with the BBC's editorial guidelines, so the statisticians never make editorial decisions."

"Blunkett leads Labour backlash against Burnham's pledgeto change UK voting system," reads the headline on the front page of the i Paper. — Warnings from Lord David Blunkett against the prime minister's "pledge to change UK voting system" tops the i Paper. The former Labour cabinet minister suggests "adopting proportional representation" and ditching first-past-the-post could lead to "Israeli-style politics", the paper writes, with one Labour MP telling the paper that it could mean Andy Burnham could end up being "the last ever Labour prime minister of a majority Labour government".

"Credit crunch: Labour's rule brands good foods 'unhealthy'," reads the headline on the front page of the Sun. — "Credit crunch" is the Sun's headline, writing the government's plans to ban "supermarket deals on items like bran flakes, porridge and fruit juice" could see the cost of grocery staples "soar". A government spokesperson told the paper: "We will ensure any changes help families make healthier choices while keeping food affordable".

"Major new report says UK has to rejoin the EU," reads the headline on the front page of the Independent. — "UK has to rejoin the EU," is the verdict of a new report published by the Institute for Public Policy Research splashed on the front page of the Independent. The paper summarises the think tank's warnings that: "being part of the European Union has now become imperative in the light of Russian aggression and US President Donald Trump's unpredictability". The paper also embeds photos of burnt-out vehicles in the centre of Paris following national protests, writing: "France cleans up after weekend of violence and destruction".

"Macron condemns 'unbridled violence of huge French riots," reads the headline on the front page of the Guardian. — French President Emmanuel Macron condemns "unbridled violence", says the Guardian in its top story. The paper reports there were "2,000 arrests as public buildings burned and hundreds of shops looted", embedding a photo of a burning car at Place de la République in central Paris. Elsewhere, former British Health Secretary Alan Milburn, who has led a review into Neets, is quoting urging the government to "cut welfare spending 'to fund support for young people'," according to the paper.

"True cost of Labour migration dithering," reads the headline on the front page of the Daily Mail. — The Daily Mail says "at least 200,000" people have been given the "right to remain" since the government promised a crackdown, citing official figures. The paper says that 5,000 people per week who have lived in the UK for at least five years "having legally arrived on visas" have earned settlement, known as "indefinite leave to remain".

"'Axe the family farm tax now, prime minister'," reads the headline on the front page of the Daily Express. — The Daily Express leads with pleas from numerous farmers for the prime minister to "axe the family farm tax" ahead of next week's budget, urging Burnham to U-turn on the inheritance levy introduced by his predecessor Sir Keir Starmer.

"Investor anxiety and public backlash threaten to scupper $10tn (£7.5tn) Al boom," reads the headline on the front page of the Financial Times. — Reports of threats to the US "AI boom" lead the Financial Times, reporting that $10tn (£7.5tn) worth of infrastructure plans, which mostly involves building data centres, faces the combined headwinds of "project delays, a public backlash and shaky investor confidence". It writes that the "ambitious data centre plans are running into reality", reporting that "some 47 big projects have been delayed, blocked or withdrawn this year – at a 'conservative estimate'."

"Ellie's eco hypocrisy," reads the headline on the front page of the Daily Mirror – placed next to a photo of singer Ellie Goulding. — Singer Ellie Goulding features on the front page of the Daily Mirror, which reports that she posed "in pink diamonds from a mine embroiled in a pollution scandal". After spending years campaigning for climate action, the paper describes Goulding's move as "eco hypocrisy", although it quotes the singer who says "I am mortified to have made this error in judgement".

"What a Breakkie Shambles," reads the headline on the front page of the Daily Star. — Finally, the Daily Star says Libertines frontman Pete Doherty "did scoff a mega meal", an eating feat that "brought him a new found respect from the British public". The paper's verdict on the 2018 Margate cafe meal: "What a Brekkie Shambles".

The Guardian leads on the unrest sweeping France, devoting a large chunk of its front page to an image of a burnt-out car in the shadow of a Paris monument. Writing in the Daily Mail, Andrew Neil argues the "appalling scenes of carnage and anarchy" make "the victory of the right-wing Marine Le Pen in next Spring's presidential elections all but inevitable".

According to the Daily Telegraph, Chancellor John Healey has "drawn up plans for a tax raid on family businesses ahead of the Budget." The paper says the proposal would levy income tax on firms that are handed down from one generation to another. The Treasury says "decisions on tax are for the Chancellor to set out at fiscal events, rather than routinely commenting on rumour."

The Daily Express carries a call from farmers for Healey to use the Budget to scrap inheritance tax on farms. A government spokesperson notes ministers previously responded to concerns by raising the threshold for farms to £2.5m.

The Financial Times warns of a "reckoning" for what it calls the "data centre build-out underpinning the US economy". It says America's $10tn (£7.5tn) AI boom is being threatened by "investor anxiety" and a "public backlash". The paper highlights analysis that says only about 35% of data centre plans in the country are credible.

The Sun says there is fury over what it calls "nanny state plans to ban supermarket deals on even more foods". The paper says industry insiders believe restrictions on multi-buy offers, brought in last year on unhealthy products, could be extended to items such as cornflakes and malt loaf. The government says "tackling the cost of living is a priority", and that it will "ensure any changes help families make healthier choices while keeping food affordable".

The Daily Mirror tells us to "forget the notorious seven-year itch", as more couples are now divorcing after two decades together. It highlights new figures that show about a quarter of divorces in England and Wales last year were between people who had been married for 20 years or more. The paper's editorial says perhaps at that point "the children have finally left home, and couples have run out of referees".

'Neets crisis is moral failure' and 'Credit crunch'

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