Kate 'lights up Christmas' and MI5 focuses on 'hostile states'

The Daily Telegraph suggests households could face higher energy costs to pay for the nuclear reactors at the heart of the government's net zero plans. The paper says it understands that industry bosses are pushing Energy Secretary Ed Miliband to be allowed to add the cost of building mini-reactors to consumers' bills. It adds that the move could prove contentious at a time when there are already growing concerns about the costs to households of Miliband's plans to overhaul the electricity system. Labour says the move to green energy will cut bills in the long run.

According to the Daily Mail, the chancellor has warned she will be able to boost the defence budget only if she cuts spending in other parts of government. Rachel Reeves tells the paper that extra money for the military would have to come out of the "same spending envelope" as other priorities such as schools, hospitals and police. She also reveals she is launching the biggest audit of public spending in almost two decades in a bid to slash waste.

The Guardian reports that a growing number of rape cases in England and Wales are collapsing before trial because victims are pulling out. The paper says it is largely because of delays in the court system. It says the number of people pulling out of prosecutions has more than doubled in five years.

The weekend edition of the i paper says that Labour is dropping a commitment to treat 95% of A&E patients within four hours. The promise was apparently made by Wes Streeting in June before he became health secretary and was not in the manifesto. According to the paper, No 10 can no longer guarantee that the target can be met in the lifetime of this parliament. A Downing Street spokesman said the manifesto pledged to return to meeting NHS targets and no timeframe had been given.

The Times reports that MI5 has been forced - in the agency's words - to "pare back" on counter-terrorism because of the growing threat of sophisticated attacks from hostile states. The agency's director general, Ken McCallum, said the attacks included sabotage, arson and even assassinations on British soil. He made the comments in a podcast being produced by the outgoing head of the civil service, Simon Case, which has been obtained by the Times. In it, Mr McCallum also reveals he kept his role in M15 secret for 25 years, and only told his children when he became director general.

The Financial Times carries a warning from the chairman of the Japanese conglomerate Hitachi that unless Labour revives the northern leg of HS2 - and the consequent need for trains - then the company's UK train-making factory could be at risk. The Department for Transport said it remained fully committed to delivering HS2 from Euston to Birmingham, which is what Hitachi had been contracted for rather than the northern leg.

And many of the front pages feature photos of a smiling Princess of Wales returning to public life by hosting Friday evening's Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey. "Kate lights up Christmas" is the Sun's headline, while the Daily Mirror quips "Kate's Abbey Christmas".

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