What the papers say – May 23
The papers are led by the Prime Minister’s chief aide seemingly flouting measures designed to stop Covid-19’s spread and financial forecasting over furloughing.
Dominic Cummings’s encounter with police for allegedly breaching the pandemic lockdown leads The Guardian and the Daily Mirror, with the latter quoting a neighbour who saw the political adviser as saying: “It’s one rule for Dominic Cummings and one rule for the rest of us.”
Guardian front page, Saturday 23 May 2020: Police spoke to Cummings about lockdown breach pic.twitter.com/zj3VGq4YXP
— The Guardian (@guardian) May 22, 2020
Tomorrow's front page: Cummings broke lockdown rules https://t.co/r7oFHg4Pkb #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/IepNDkYlGI
— Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) May 22, 2020
The Times reports Treasury has drafted up plans to have employers pay at least 20% of the wages of furloughed staff as Rishi Sunak prepares to unwind the Government scheme.
Firms must start paying quarter of staff wages#tomorrowspaperstoday@hendopolis pic.twitter.com/mTqaR8SMyk
— The Times Pictures (@TimesPictures) May 22, 2020
And the Chancellor also features in the FT Weekend, which says Mr Sunak has created “tensions” with the PM over the speed at which lockdown measures are lifted.
Just published: front page of FT Weekend, UK edition, Saturday 23 May https://t.co/dDmBeRd733 pic.twitter.com/gdEVi3EInL
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) May 22, 2020
Staying on Downing Street and The Daily Telegraph reports Mr Johnson will “scale back” Chinese firm Huawei’s role in Britain’s 5G network roll-out “in wake of virus”.
Tomorrow’s Telegraph front page: “PM to scale back Huawei 5G role in wake of virus”#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/jYzok7kdvj
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) May 22, 2020
Metro says Covid-19 cases “plummet in the capital” as London records fewer than 100 new confirmed cases per day over the last fortnight.
Friday's front page:VIRUS CASESPLUMMET INTHE CAPITAL#tomorrowspaperstoday #BBCPapers #skypapers pic.twitter.com/ZK6v0RJw8w
— Metro Newspaper UK (@MetroUKNews) May 21, 2020
Home Secretary Priti Patel is open to the idea of “safe corridors” between the UK and other countries for foreign holidays, according to The Sun.
Tomorrow's Front Page: Priti Patel says she is ‘open’ to air bridges idea for easier travel to some countrieshttps://t.co/DZryDeQPUp pic.twitter.com/NB72igLLyb
— The Sun (@TheSun) May 22, 2020
And the Daily Mail offers hope in its report that “virus passports and travel corridors could allow families to travel abroad this summer”.
MAIL: Corona passport to save holidays #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/mbEVBn5FWi
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) May 22, 2020
But the i weekend warns those with wanderlust face “Two weeks in quarantine if you want a foreign holiday”.
Saturday's #iweekend front page: Two weeks in quarantine if you want a foreign holiday#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/yagiRgpKOt
— i newspaper (@theipaper) May 22, 2020
Travel bosses have strongly criticised the new quarantine rules for “ruling out any chance of future bookings that could help the struggling sector”, reports The Independent.
INDEPENDENT DIGITAL: Travel industry’s warning on new quarantine rules #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/Rc6ujxqkGa
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) May 22, 2020
It may be better to stay at home, with the Daily Express entreating the public to “all go on a British summer holiday” and saying the new quarantine rules may boost domestic tourism.
Tomorrow's front page: 'Let's all go on a British summer holiday' #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/f6TOINvwQD
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) May 22, 2020
And the Daily Star uses a throwback theme as it looks ahead to a “Spiffing!” Bank Holiday Monday, with temperatures forecast to soar around 30C.
Tomorrow's front page: 'I say old boy, Bank Holiday Monday is set to be the hottest since 1922…spiffing!'#TomorrowsPapersTodayhttps://t.co/M65y6qC3Gy pic.twitter.com/rsANDDUohm
— Daily Star (@dailystar) May 22, 2020