Image caption, Many of Saturday’s front pages look forward to the Euro 2024 final showdown between England and Spain. The Daily Express is leading calls for England’s manager Gareth Southgate to get a knighthood, regardless of the outcome on Sunday.Image caption, Also calling for Southgate to receive the honour is former footballer and presenter Chris Kamara. If England win, ‘Kammy’ is also calling for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to give the country a bank holiday to celebrate. “Honour his ‘ed my son” is the Daily Star’s playful headline.Image caption, “Roar us on” is the rally cry on the front page of the Daily Mirror, alongside photos of England forwards Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane and Ollie Watkins – who fired the Three Lions into the final with a late winner on Wednesday against the Netherlands. Watkins believes England fans can be the side’s “12th man” on Sunday, the Mirror reports.Image caption, Away from the football, many of the papers are reflecting on decisions being made by Labour during the party’s first week in government. The Daily Mail draws attention to comments made by Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who has confirmed a new prisoner release scheme will start within weeks to avoid overcrowding. She is warning that urgent action must be taken to avoid looters “running amok”, the Mail reports.Image caption, The story also features in the Times. The paper reports that Ms Mahmood has admitted that public safety could be compromised by announcing that violent criminals will be among those released less than halfway through their sentence, though she insists it is the “only way to avert disaster” in prisons. Image caption, The i’s weekend edition reports on what it says is concern within the UK government of US President Joe Biden’s “gaffes”. The paper cites government sources as saying privately they are unhappy that the president’s verbal slips overshadowed a crucial Nato summit. President Biden mixed up the names of world leaders twice on Thursday.Image caption, The Daily Telegraph reports that half of Keir Starmer’s cabinet opposed planning proposals in their own constituencies, prompting accusations of hypocrisy over the party’s house-building policy. Labour’s election campaign centred on planning reform in order to build 1.5 million homes in five years, the paper notes.Image caption, The FT Weekend looks ahead to legislation the prime minister will reportedly set out next week to axe hereditary peers from the House of Lords. The bill is part of a wide-ranging legislative package of the new government which will be set out by King Charles III in the state opening of Parliament, the paper says.
The Times focuses on yesterday’s announcement by the government about the early release of thousands of prisoners, to ease overcrowding in jails in England and Wales. It says Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has admitted that public safety could be compromised by the plans – which include violent offenders who have sentences of less than four years among those eligible for release after serving 40% of their time behind bars, rather than the standard 50%.
The FT Weekend says reform of the House of Lords is set to feature in the King’s Speech next week, with legislation to axe hereditary peers from the upper chamber among 30 bills expected to be unveiled.
It reports that the move is the first part of an effort to slim down the Lords, to be followed by forcing peers to retire at 80. To sugar the pill, the paper says, the ousted legislators would be allowed to retain access to the Palace of Westminster, including its bars and restaurants.
Writing in the paper, Lord Darroch claims it’s already “game over” for the 81-year-old, as clips of his disastrous TV debate against Donald Trump “will be replayed 1,000 times” before voters go to the polls in November. He says Mr Biden has a legacy of a leader who got things done, but warns that will be “tainted” if he fails to hand over power.
A number of front pages look ahead to the final of Euro 2024 on Sunday.
The Daily Express has launched a campaign for England’s manager, Gareth Southgate, to be knighted regardless of the result. It says fans agree it would be a fitting honour for the man who has turned England from perennial underachievers into a fearless force.
The Guardian reports that fans of a classic scene from Only Fools and Horses could be hit in the pocket if they quote lines from the sitcom on a visit to Bath Assembly Rooms in Somerset.
The episode in question sees Del Boy and Rodney bracing themselves to catch a chandelier, only to find Grandad has released the wrong fastening, sending a different one crashing to the floor.
Staff who look after the chandeliers at the Assembly Rooms are said to have heard the lines “One more turn, Del!” or “Brace yourself, Rodney, brace yourself” so often that they’re now encouraging offenders to pay a voluntary contribution to the venue’s conservation fund.
