Newspaper headlines: Tory 'triumph' and Zoe Ball's 'torment'
- Published
No one doubts the right of Prime Minister Theresa May to claim an emphatic win in the local elections. The Daily Telegraph calls the outcome a "massive victory", external and the Sun says she "turned Britain blue"., external The i talks of a Tory "blue tide".
However, the Guardian looks at the maths and argues that Britain was, in fact, evenly-divided, external. The Conservatives and UKIP, it says, took 43% of the votes - while Labour and the Liberal Democrats received 45%. This leads the paper to conclude that "the country has not fallen in love with Mrs May".
The Daily Express believes that "the public has warmed" to the PM. But it, and others, explain that Mrs May's triumph has resulted from the "collapse" of the UKIP vote, external.
"UKIP died as a political force", external, says the i, while the Daily Mail apes the tone of an old-style announcement: "Today," it says, external, "the Mail is sad to report the death, at just 26, of one of the most effective forces ever to shake up British politics."
"UKIP disappeared", external, says the Telegraph, "and its vote went to the Conservatives." The Times, external calls UKIP "a gateway drug", saying it first drew votes away from Labour, then passed them on to the Tories.
Labour, says the Sun, external, had been in a panic about the rise of UKIP - now it looks set to panic about the consequences of the party's collapse.
Diesel drivers 'clobbered'
Few things, away from politics, receive much close attention - but the prospect of a crackdown on polluting diesel cars and vans has stirred up feeling.
The Daily Mirror worries that the government is about to "clobber" diesel vehicle owners, external with financial penalties. It points out that people bought them in good faith, many believing they were less damaging to the environment.
The Mail believes those owners were "monstrously misled and betrayed", external by the Labour government. It warns its readers: "Never trust gimmick-prone politicians who tell you science is on their side."
An expert quoted in the i points out that modern diesel cars can be as clean as petrol engines anyway. As the Sun comments, it is not a problem that can be "sorted overnight", external.
Half of Saturday's papers use their front pages to report the death of the boyfriend of BBC Radio 2 presenter Zoe Ball.
The Express says the body of Billy Yates was found at his flat, external in south-west London. Several papers suggest he took his own life. The Star says Ms Ball has been left "heartbroken", external.
Say it out loud
Talking to yourself, reports the Telegraph, "may actually be a sign of intelligence." The paper says that researchers at Bangor University have found people who, for example, read instructions out loud actually perform the task they are engaged in better than those who stay silent.
"Speaking out loud", echoes the Mirror, "helps the brain to absorb material", external. The Mail adds the researchers think their study has shown that, far from being "the first sign of madness", talking to yourself is a way of using all the means at your disposal to increase your brain power.
