'Countdown to conflagration' and 'Restore high streets or lose election'

4 hours ago

Many of the papers have headlined on Iran, with the Mail declaring: "Countdown to conflagration". It says US President Donald Trump has issued a "chilling threat" to the Middle Eastern nation, demanding that the Ayatollah make a nuclear deal or "face an overwhelming military onslaught". Tehran says that any attack on Iran would be considered an "act of war", the Mail reports.

The headline on the front page of the Mail reads: "Countdown to conflagration". — Many of the papers have headlined on Iran, with the Mail declaring: "Countdown to conflagration". It says US President Donald Trump has issued a "chilling threat" to the Middle Eastern nation, demanding that the Ayatollah make a nuclear deal or "face an overwhelming military onslaught". Tehran says that any attack on Iran would be considered an "act of war", the Mail reports.

The Guardian writes that a US armada "heads towards Iran", and notes that it is "prepared to rapidly fulfil its mission, with speed and violence if necessary" as per Trump's post to Truth Social. The "decline of Britain's high streets" also features prominently on the front page, with new research from the University of Southhampton indicating that the Labour Party must address the problem or risk being "washed away in a tide of discontent".

The headline on the front page of the Guardian reads: "Time is running out, Trump says as US armada heads towards Iran". — The Guardian writes that a US armada "heads towards Iran", and notes that it is "prepared to rapidly fulfil its mission, with speed and violence if necessary" as per Trump's post to Truth Social. The "decline of Britain's high streets" also features prominently on the front page, with new research from the University of Southhampton indicating that the Labour Party must address the problem or risk being "washed away in a tide of discontent".

"Trump's war threat to Iran" says the Mirror, alongside a photo of the USS Abraham Lincoln, which reportedly leads the armada currently en route to the Gulf.

The headline on the front page of the Mirror reads: "Trump's war threat to Iran". — "Trump's war threat to Iran" says the Mirror, alongside a photo of the USS Abraham Lincoln, which reportedly leads the armada currently en route to the Gulf.

The unfolding situation in Iran has been labelled a "nuclear ultimatum" by the i Paper, which reports that people are fleeing Tehran in anticipation of an imminent attack. Iran's foreign minister has said that armed forces are ready "with fingers on the trigger" to "powerfully respond" to aggression.

The headline on the front page of the i Paper reads: "Nuclear ultimatum: abandon weapons programme or 'massive armada' will bomb Iran, US threatens Ayatollah". — The unfolding situation in Iran has been labelled a "nuclear ultimatum" by the i Paper, which reports that people are fleeing Tehran in anticipation of an imminent attack. Iran's foreign minister has said that armed forces are ready "with fingers on the trigger" to "powerfully respond" to aggression.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is the focus of the Daily Telegraph's leading story, which says he called for European human rights laws to be invoked in order to investigate British soldiers in Iraq, in a book published by "disgraced lawyer" Phil Shiner. The piece follows on from the paper's front page yesterday, which revealed Sir Keir's involvement in a landmark legal case in 2007. A No 10 spokesperson said that the prime minister assisted the court on points of law, but did not advocate for either side. "The prime minister was not involved in the subsequent case heard in the European Court of Human Rights," the spokesperson said, and added that allegations were a "desperate and deliberate misrepresentation".

The headline on the front page of the Telegraph reads: "Starmer: Use ECHR to investigate British troops". — Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is the focus of the Daily Telegraph's leading story, which says he called for European human rights laws to be invoked in order to investigate British soldiers in Iraq, in a book published by "disgraced lawyer" Phil Shiner. The piece follows on from the paper's front page yesterday, which revealed Sir Keir's involvement in a landmark legal case in 2007. A No 10 spokesperson said that the prime minister assisted the court on points of law, but did not advocate for either side. "The prime minister was not involved in the subsequent case heard in the European Court of Human Rights," the spokesperson said, and added that allegations were a "desperate and deliberate misrepresentation".

"PM shelves fresh plan to overhaul benefits" reads the Times, which says that Sir Keir has vetoed plans for a new attempt to reform the UK's welfare system. Two reviews of the welfare state are due to report this year, it reports, but both are expected to require legislation. This latest decision by the prime minister makes welfare reform before the next election unlikely, according to the paper.

The headline on the front page of the Times reads: "PM shelves fresh plan to overhaul benefits". — "PM shelves fresh plan to overhaul benefits" reads the Times, which says that Sir Keir has vetoed plans for a new attempt to reform the UK's welfare system. Two reviews of the welfare state are due to report this year, it reports, but both are expected to require legislation. This latest decision by the prime minister makes welfare reform before the next election unlikely, according to the paper.

The Express quotes Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch on its front page, following a speech where she addressed recent defections to Reform UK. "My party is for serious people and not drama queens," said Badenoch, and claimed those joining Nigel Farage were having a "tantrum dressed up as politics".

The headline on the front page of the Express reads: "Kemi: My party is for serious people and not drama queens". — The Express quotes Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch on its front page, following a speech where she addressed recent defections to Reform UK. "My party is for serious people and not drama queens," said Badenoch, and claimed those joining Nigel Farage were having a "tantrum dressed up as politics".

The world's biggest mining companies have added almost half a trillion dollars to their valuations this year, according to the Financial Times. The paper notes that the "biggest winners" included Rio Tinto and Glencore, as well as Sydney-listed BHP and China's Zijin Mining.

The headline on the front page of the Financial Times reads: "Miners boost value by $476bn after global tensions drive up metal prices". — The world's biggest mining companies have added almost half a trillion dollars to their valuations this year, according to the Financial Times. The paper notes that the "biggest winners" included Rio Tinto and Glencore, as well as Sydney-listed BHP and China's Zijin Mining.

A retired police official has told the Sun that he believes nurse Lucy Letby is innocent, and that her conviction could be "the greatest miscarriage of justice this century". Letby is currently serving 15 life sentences in jail for the murder of seven babies, and the attempted murder of seven more.

The headline on the front page of the Sun reads: "Letby: The greatest miscarriage of justice this century". — A retired police official has told the Sun that he believes nurse Lucy Letby is innocent, and that her conviction could be "the greatest miscarriage of justice this century". Letby is currently serving 15 life sentences in jail for the murder of seven babies, and the attempted murder of seven more.

The Metro reports that a British lotto winner has been jailed for building a "drug empire" worth £228m. The paper says the man, 80, won £2.4m in 2010.

The headline on the front page of the Metro reads: "Lotto winner set up £228m drugs empire". — The Metro reports that a British lotto winner has been jailed for building a "drug empire" worth £228m. The paper says the man, 80, won £2.4m in 2010.

"Spend it like Beckham" says the Star, pricing a wine featured in Brooklyn Beckham's Instagram post at £80,000.

The headline on the front page of the Star reads: "Spend like Beckham". — "Spend it like Beckham" says the Star, pricing a wine featured in Brooklyn Beckham's Instagram post at £80,000.

Donald Trump's threat to Iran is covered by almost all of the front pages. "Countdown to conflagration" is the Daily Mail's headline. The Guardian says the threat of a US-Iranian war "appeared to loom closer" following the president's warning. According to the Daily Mirror, he is said to be "considering targets including weapons caches and members of the Revolutionary Guard". The i Paper says it has learned that "Iranians are fleeing" the capital. The front of the Financial Times has a picture of an "anti-American" poster in Tehran. It appears to show explosions on the deck of an aircraft carrier, with the slogan "if you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind".

Many papers cover Sir Keir Starmer's trip to China. The Sun focuses on a deal designed to cut the flow from China of boat parts and engines used by migrants for channel crossings - with Sir Keir saying it will "cut off the supply at source". The Express is scathing in its analysis of the prime minister's meeting with President Xi Jinping. It describes Sir Keir coming face to face with "one of the world's most powerful leaders" as the "greatest mismatch of our time". But the Mirror's editorial says the prime minister is "right to engage" with China, in "grown-up diplomacy" which involves "doing business without selling our soul".

The Times says Sir Keir has "vetoed" plans for a new attempt to change the benefits system, as Number 10 seeks "to avoid another confrontation with Labour MPs". The paper says the Department for Work and Pensions has been unsuccessful in including its bills in the King's Speech, which sets out the government's legislative agenda. But officials say "final decisions" on its contents "have not been made".

The investment minister, Lord Stockwood, has told the Financial Times that there are discussions within government about introducing a universal basic income for workers in sectors that are likely to be wiped out by artificial intelligence. He tells the paper there's a need to "think really carefully" about how to "soft-land those industries that go away".