What the papers say – December 4

The national papers focus on coronavirus developments, political machinations and Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood

The i weekend cites health chiefs as saying half of the UK’s early cases of the Omicron variant of the virus that causes Covid-19 occurred in people who had already received two vaccine doses.

Ministers have been told there is no time to wait for research on the new variant and they must act now to prevent a “very significant” wave of infections that risks overwhelming the NHS according to The Guardian.

Concerns over Omicron have prompted a wave of Christmas party cancellations in a blow to the hospitality sector, reports FT Weekend.

In another pandemic-related development, The Independent says a billionaire Tory donor’s company claimed millions of pounds’ worth of taxpayer-funded furlough money after recording a £75 million profit.

The Daily Telegraph has been informed pestering women in the street or in pubs and making lewd comments to them could become a criminal offence following the murder of Sarah Everard.

Boris Johnson is quoted in the Daily Mail as saying ministers will leave “absolutely no stone unturned” to establish what went wrong in the case of murdered six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes

The Times has learnt Chancellor Rishi Sunak is preparing to cut income tax by 2p in the pound or to slash VAT rates before the next election.

The Daily Star reports “tall actors” are taking the jobs of those with drawfism in Christmas plays and pantomimes.

And Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood appeared in an advertisement that broke “strict” BBC rules, according to the Daily Mirror.

Read More

Omicron symptoms: What to look out for from new variant

What does Greek word omicron mean? How the Covid names are chosen

Covid news live: Boris Johnson to give press conference

Man charged with murder of woman in Stoneycroft house

City to ‘stand together’ at vigil for Ava White

Charles: Sir Antony Sher was ‘a giant of the stage at the height of his genius’