Ukraine's 'high-stakes talks' and 'nonsense planning delays' shake-up
President Zelensky arrives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for Ukraine-US talks to end the war
- Published
The Times reports that thousands of residents living near new electricity pylons could be given up to £250 a year off their bills, external for a decade as part of government plans due to be set out this week.
The paper says the proposal is intended to reduce opposition to renewable energy schemes, as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer makes a building boom the cornerstone of his push for growth.
The i newspaper focuses on the planning bill's aim of curbing the power of administrative bodies to block developments.
Its headline says ministers want to "freeze out 'Nimby' groups to end nonsense planning delays". The paper says the prime minister realises that despite his recent success on the international stage, voters prioritise domestic achievements.
The Daily Telegraph leads on Donald Trump's suggestion that Ukraine "may not survive", external, ahead of the peace talks due to start in Saudi Arabia this week. The paper says he is putting pressure on Volodymyr Zelensky to give up territory to Russia - something Kyiv has said it will do only in return for Nato membership.
The Financial Times says President Zelensky will use the "high stakes" talks to try to persuade the US to resume military and intelligence support, external - and to convince Trump he wants a swift end to the war with Russia.
The Times's front page says people could be given major discounts on their bills for if they live near electricity pylons
"Prisons to get hundreds more cells in case summer riots happen again" is the Guardian's headline. It leads on comments by the prisons minister, James Timpson, that there'll be no more emergency measures such as early release schemes.
The paper says the government is refurbishing cells and creating makeshift ones, external, because it wants to avoid a repeat of the lack of space last summer.
The Daily Mail headline warns that the "Woke RAF is running out of top gun pilots". The paper says the Royal Air Force has launched a desperate search for pilots, external after a diversity drive, which prioritised women and ethnic minorities, backfired. It suggests candidates who were previously overlooked are being urged to reapply.
The Telegraph claims Sir Keir Starmer is facing the biggest rebellion of his premiership, external, over plans to cut the welfare budget to boost defence spending. The paper says it understands about 80 Labour MPs - around a fifth of the parliamentary party - "won't tolerate" the planned raid on benefits expected in the chancellor's spring statement.
The front page of the Daily Mirror marks yesterday's Covid Day of Reflection with the headline, "We must never forget". Five years on from the start of the pandemic, the paper includes testimonies from the families of victims, external at a ceremony at the National Covid Memorial Wall in London.
The Mirror prints a poem read by the former children's laureate Michael Rosen at an event in Staffordshire. It begins: "Coughing and coughing, gasping for air. We remember. Empty streets, no cars anywhere. We remember."
And the Guardian, Times and Daily Express all feature pictures of the winner of the Crufts dog show in Birmingham.
The Italian whippet, Miuccia, beat 18,000 dogs to be crowned "best in show". The Express has a photo of Miuccia receiving a kiss from her handler, with the caption "leader of the pack".
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