Newspaper headlines: PM defends premiership, and Ukraine's weapons pleas

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By BBC News
Staff
Reuters

The UK has agreed to provide Ukraine with more military equipment, but the Sunday Times says Kyiv's requests have been ignored for years

An investigation by the Sunday Times has, in the paper's words, "laid bare the obfuscation, foot-dragging and failure at the heart of the British government to confront the threat posed by Russia" over the past seven years.

It claims that as prime minister, David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson all refused repeated requests from Ukraine to buy weapons from the UK because of fears about provoking Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The paper's leader column delivers a damning verdict on what it calls the failure of successive governments to grasp the danger posed by Moscow, noting that "the few voices who called for a more hawkish approach were sidelined in favour of a policy amounting to appeasement".

The Sunday Express says Mr Johnson has delivered a full-throttled defence of his premiership amid what the paper describes as a firm belief in Downing Street that he can put the Partygate saga behind him.

It reports that Mr Johnson highlighted 10 landmark measures due to become law this week as proof that he is delivering for Britain.

But according to the Observer, plans to ditch the prime minister sooner rather than later are being advanced by a growing number of senior Conservatives.

It says there is mounting alarm amongst Tories at the effects Partygate could have on their electoral chances, prompting senior MPs to urge wavering colleagues to strike before it is too late.

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The home secretary has told the Sunday Telegraph that the BBC was guilty of xenophobia when reporting the government's plan to send some asylum-seekers to Rwanda.

Priti Patel says she was taken aback by the tone of BBC journalists' references to the African country when she announced the agreement 10 days ago.

The BBC says its journalists asked questions about the scheme.

Ms Patel also claims there were undercurrents of xenophobia in parliament - but she insists she remains fully behind the plans - and reveals she is now looking for other potential countries with which similar agreements could be struck.

A renewed call by the government's efficiency minister for civil servants to stop working at home is featured by the Mail on Sunday.

Writing in the paper, Jacob Rees-Mogg warns that public sector workers based in London could be sacked if they refuse to return to Whitehall, arguing "if people are not back in their office, it will be fair to assume the job does not need to be in London".

His view is backed by the Mail's leader column, which insists working from home is a bad habit that is ruining the economy.

With the headline, "Rishi in hot water again", the Sunday People says the chancellor has angered voters for the second time in weeks, following the row about his wife's tax affairs.

It reports that Rishi Sunak is planning to spend up to £13,000 a year heating his new swimming pool at his home in North Yorkshire.

The paper says that figure is six-and-a-half times the average annual energy bill for a family home and has sparked outrage amongst his constituents at a time of soaring gas prices.

Mr Sunak declined to comment.