The Duke of York has been urged to “do the decent thing” and withdraw from public view over Christmas, Buckingham Palace sources have told The Times. It comes as controversy continues over the duke’s links to a Chinese “spy”, who has now been expelled from the UK but remains anonymous. Separately, Ukraine’s former foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba says Sir Keir Starmer is not providing leadership and had adopted a policy of “following the Americans” with regards to the war in Ukraine.
The Sun leads on the same story about the Duke of York, who according to sources the paper has spoken to, “is under pressure” to “uninvite himself” from Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace.
Economists have said the chancellor’s policy on inheritance tax will “backfire” and cost the Treasury “over £1bn more than it makes”, the Daily Telegraph reports, citing analysis by CBI Economics. It comes as Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch gives a speech later in which she will warn that “no-one is safe” from Labour’s tax policy. An exclusive story about a suspected Chinese spy brokering the expansion of a top British private school in China, and water companies escaping fines for illegal sewage overflow, also make the front page.
Sir Keir Starmer has been warned by the EU he must including a new fishing agreement and make migration easier for under-30s, if he wants a new deal on trade and security, the i writes. EU negotiating documents leaked over the weekend suggest “Brussels is preparing to drive a hard bargain”, it reports.
The Conservatives have warned up to 750,000 pensioners could be “left in the cold” as the winter fuel payments deadline looms, the Daily Express writes. The paper has spoken to shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately who said the government’s deadline is akin to a door that is “about to slam shut”, leaving pensioners without warm homes this winter.
The Metro leads with A&E doctors warning the newly published guide on how to treat patients in corridors – due to busy hospitals – is “normalising the dangerous”. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine said “nonsensical” advice published by NHS England was “out of touch” and could prove harmful, the paper reports.
The Guardian reports that MPs are threatening to name the alleged Chinese spy who was close to Prince Andrew, as allegations raise “calls for caution” in the UK over re-establishing links with China. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage have said the spy should be named. A photo of schoolchildren smiling illustrates the front as schools in Damascus re-open, following a week of instability since the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad.
In financial news, the London Stock Exchange is on course for its “worst year” year for departures since the financial crisis, the FT declares, as 88 companies delist or transfer to New York. Also on the front is a large graphic of Assad shaking Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hand, accompanying an exclusive that details how Assad’s Central Back airlifted around $250m in cash to Moscow between 2018 and 2019.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has spoken to the Daily Mirror, endorsing its’ “Ban the Cosmetic Cowboys” campaign to end unscrupulous cosmetic surgery procedures. “If an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is,” he says. The campaign follows the death of Alice Webb, who died after complications arising from a liquid Brazilian butt lift.
And finally the Daily Star puts a meteorological spin on a favourite Christmas poem for its headline, as Storm Eowyn is projected to “wreck” festive fun with rain and winds of 70mph. Revellers and shoppers be warned – it’s cold outside.
Several of the papers lead on the alleged Chinese spy linked to the Duke of York. The Daily Telegraph says the anonymous businessman helped an elite British private school expand to China, while the Daily Mail reports that, alongside royals and prime ministers, he also mixed with “captains of industry”. It demands he “must be named”. The Guardian says the court order protecting his identity may be lifted, while the Independent says ministers are facing calls to “take a tough stance” against any interference from Beijing.
According to The Times, Prince Andrew is also under pressure. It quotes Buckingham Palace “insiders” who say he should “do the decent thing” and step back from public appearances over Christmas. Sources tell the Sun that after “a hell of a year”, the last thing the Royal Family wants is the scandal “dragging on” over the festive period. The paper’s headline is: “Banned old Duke of York”.
The i has seen leaked negotiating documents which it says show the EU is “prepared to drive a hard bargain” when it comes to new deals with the UK on trade and security. EU nations are said to be “happy with the status quo” and are “becoming exasperated by the UK making demands without offering concessions”. The paper says the bloc wants a new fishing agreement and easier migration for people under 30, as preconditions to the start of any talks.
“IHT raid will cost more than it makes” is the headline on the front page of the Telegraph, referring to the Chancellor’s Budget changes to inheritance tax. It highlights a report from economists, which says that cutting tax relief for family businesses and farms will lead to a drop in investment, which will outweigh the extra income the government expects to gain. The paper says the inheritance tax raid could “backfire”, costing £1bn overall. But the Treasury has defended the move.
A survey of economists for The Financial Times suggests that the US Federal Reserve will take a “more cautious approach” to interest rate cuts as Donald Trump returns to the White House. They believe the president-elect’s proposed tariffs and levies on China will stoke higher inflation. But one expert suggests there could be a “confrontation” between Mr Trump and the reserve’s chair, if rates don’t fall.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting backs the Daily Mirror’s campaign to end what it calls “cosmetic cowboys”. He tells the paper he is worried about the “Wild West in cosmetic surgery”, and promises to consider calls to crack down on unregulated high-street salons and clinics.
And in what it calls a “coup for the BBC”, the Mail – among others – reports that Sky Sports presenter Kelly Cates will take over from Gary Lineker on Match of the Day. She is said to be a part of what The Times calls a “hat trick of hosts” rotating alongside Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman. Sources tell The Daily Express that “no deal has been signed as yet”. But the Telegraph says that as the daughter of Kenny Dalglish, Cates grew up steeped in the game and has the skill and authority to front football’s flagship show.
