“Get them out” headlines Metro as it reports on British troops reaching Sudan to check if an evacuation of 4,000 UK nationals from the east African nation is possible. The paper carries a quote from international development minister Andrew Mitchell, who describes the situation as a “total and absolute nightmare of a crisis”. A power struggle between the regular army and a powerful paramilitary force has led to violence across Sudan for more than a week. And like many of today’s front pages. a smiling and dancing Len Goodman features at the top of the page, following the death of the former Strictly Come Dancing judge.
The i pictures smoke billowing and an abandoned car on a Sudanese street. It says Britons stuck in Khartoum must travel through the fighting and militia roadblocks to Port Sudan, where two Royal Navy warships are sailing to help. The paper reports 71 NHS doctors are trapped in the country and civilians are being charged $25,000 for escape taxis.
Race against time to save 4,000 trapped in Sudan” is how the Times headlines its report on the two British ships being readied to assist with an evacuation and a RAF transport aircraft carrying British troops has arrived in Port Sudan. Noting that an RAF transport aircraft carrying British troops has arrived in Port Sudan, it points out that Germany and France have already begun evacuating their civilians.
The Daily Mirror leads with Downing Street being urged to rescue 71 NHS doctors trapped in Sudan. It reports many had travelled with family members and children to celebrate Eid with relatives. The staff, a mixture of UK citizens and visa holders, had formed a WhatsApp group to stay in touch as the conflict escalated.
The Financial Times leads with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt admitting corporate taxes were too high – which, the paper notes, acknowledges a “backlash” against the decision to raise corporation tax from 19% to 25% this month. Mr Hunt and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak were addressing corporate leaders at a Business Connect event where bosses called for the return of tax breaks on shopping for overseas visitors, the FT says. The paper observes many attendees were positive about the event, but said Mr Sunak needed to follow through with business-friendly policies.
The Daily Mail, which is running a campaign on the “tourist tax” issue, says business leaders blasted the prime minister, accusing him of scoring a “spectacular own goal” over the decision to remove VAT refunds on foreign visitors’ shopping. It reports the chancellor said it would be too expensive to change the policy now. The paper is another to picture Len Goodman on its front page, hailing him as “the Strictly perfect 10”.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is to urge China to come clean about its biggest military build-up in peacetime in a speech warning of the threat of a new Cold War with Beijing, the Daily Telegraph writes. The paper notes further comments, in the Mansion House speech in London, on not isolating China as it would be a betrayal to British interests would likely anger the “hawkish wing” of the Conservative Party. The paper also examines the Duchess of Sussex’s “new look” calling it a “polished power move” following her appearance in a video message introducing a Ted Talk.
The Guardian leads with the CBI business group admitting it failed to “filter out culturally toxic people” from its ranks. The organisation’s president Brian McBride said in a letter to its members it had “made mistakes” and “badly let down” its staff. The CBI was responding to an independent law firm report on misconduct allegations including rape.
The prime minister has pledged to preserve the rights and dignity of women in the UK, says the Daily Express which has been campaigning on the issue in recent weeks. Mr Sunak writes in the paper: “I know what a woman is – and I will protect women’s rights and women’s spaces.” He adds biological sex really matters when it comes to women’s spaces, women’s prisons, changing rooms, sports and health. The paper notes it is his strongest intervention on the issue so far.
The Daily Star features a mock-up of astronauts as it reports space tourists in the future could be forced to sign no-sex waivers to prevent sperm mutations. And a page-top picture of Len Goodman complete with Fred Astaire-style top hat, white tie and tailcoat is headlined “Len the gent”.
