Many of the papers feature Labour’s plan to nationalise the railways if it wins power. The i newspaper says the party promises to “immediately” start the process of brining the rail system back into public ownership. Plans include a “best-price ticket guarantee” and digital season tickets, the i reports. But the paper says passengers may have to wait years before an end to “rip-off ticketing”.
“End of the line for failing train firms” is how the Metro describes Labour’s election promise to axe rail franchises. The plan would see a Great British Railways body take over each existing franchise as its contract ends, the paper reports.
The Daily Mirror says Labour’s election promise to nationalise rail “in five years” is the biggest overhaul of the train industry in a generation. It carries a quote from shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh, who says: “We’ll deliver root-and-branch reforms.”
The Guardian leads on Labour rail nationalisation promise, saying the planned reforms would be one of the party’s “first major acts” if it wins power. The paper says Labour insiders hailed the plan as the moment the party “would begin to champion its more radical proposals” in the run-up to the general election – likely to be held later this year.
The Daily Mail leads on the arrest of a teenage girl on suspicion of attempted murder after three people were injured in a school stabbing in Carmarthenshire. The paper also features a photo of military horses running loose through central central after being spooked by noise from a building site.
“Horror in the playground” is how the Daily Express describes the incident at the Welsh school. The paper also carries the striking image of horses “on the rampage” through central London.
The Daily Telegraph also headlines on Labour but its story is on leader Keir Starmer “refusing to match PM’s defence budget”. The paper says shadow ministers declined to promise that 2.5% of GDP would be spent on defence by 2030, as Rishi Sunak pledged on Tuesday. Labour’s position is that it would raise defence spending to the 2.5% figure “when resources allow”, the paper reports, without putting a specific timescale on it.
The Times leads on a study suggesting England is the “worst in the world” for underage drinking. A third of 11-year-olds and half of 13-year-olds in England have drunk alcohol, which is the highest rate of childhood drinking out of 44 countries looked at by the World Health Organization, the paper reports. And it says that children from wealthy homes are the most likely to drink, “mirroring” their parents.
The Financial Times reports that the EU has instigated a “dawn raid” on the offices of a Chinese security-equipment supplier. Anti-foreign subsidy powers were deployed in the action at offices in Warsaw and Rotterdam, the FT says. Products made by the company in question – Nuctech – have been banned by some Western countries on national security grounds, the paper says.
The Sun reports on the death of a former boyfriend of Princess Beatrice, in a “suspected drug overdose”. Paolo Liuzzo was found dead in a Miami hotel room, the tabloid says.
Bad news for people who like greasy fry ups – they are turning us into ZOMBIES, the Daily Star says, carrying a warning from “another cheery food boffin”. More specifically, the tabloid says highly-processed food is creating a nation of insomniacs. But on the plus side such fare tastes “really, really good”. The choice is a no-brainer then.
