Newspaper headlines: Westwood allegations and 'Cabinet urges tax cuts'

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By BBC News
Staff
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The Mail on Sunday has declined a request to meet with Sir Lindsay Hoyle to discuss a controversial article about Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner

Wednesday's Daily Mail says the editor of its sister title, the Mail on Sunday, has declined a request to meet Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle over a controversial article which claimed Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, tries to distract Boris Johnson in the chamber by crossing and uncrossing her legs.

The editor, David Dillon, is quoted as saying journalists should "not take instruction" from parliamentary officials, "however august they may be".

The Telegraph says Chancellor Rishi Sunak came under pressure during Tuesday's Cabinet meeting to cut tax to tackle the cost of living crisis. Crime and Policing Minister Kit Malthouse reportedly received support in the meeting when he argued the move would be the "quickest way of actually regenerating the economy".

The paper also previews a speech by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss in which she's expected to call for an increase in defence spending - arguing that "a generation of under investment" led to the invasion of Ukraine. Ms Truss is expected to say the traditional Nato target of spending two percent of GDP on defence should be a minimum.

The Express focuses on the performance of public services, saying British taxpayers are getting poor value for money. Its headline reads: "You're paying record 718 billion pounds in tax - but for what?"

The Times gives front page coverage to the plight of a P&O ferry which lost power and drifted off the coast of County Antrim yesterday - saying the incident prompted a mutiny by agency staff, who were brought in last month after the company sacked 800 employees without notice.

The paper says a number of the ship's new crew members asked maritime unions for advice about terminating their contracts. P&O says the ship was able to carry on after what it called a temporary mechanical issue.

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P&O's European Causeway spent hours adrift in the Irish Sea after losing power on Tuesday

An investigation by the paper also says suitcases filled with cash from taxpayer-backed Covid loans have been seized at airports as people tried to take the money out of Britain. The paper says other recipients of the loans used them to fund gambling sprees and home improvements.

A fraud expert tells the paper its findings are "the tip of the iceberg". The Treasury says it's already stopped more than £2bn in potential fraud and it expects to recover another £1bn.

The Guardian leads with claims of sexual misconduct made against DJ Tim Westwood by multiple women. The allegations, which Westwood has strenuously denied, emerged as part of a joint investigation with BBC News. Three women have accused Westwood of "opportunistic and predatory sexual behaviour", the Guardian reports, while four others have alleged that he groped them at events. He strenuously denies the allegations.

The paper also reports that the public health body set up by Boris Johnson to combat the coronavirus pandemic is in turmoil, with looming staff cuts and plans to suspend routine Covid testing in hospitals and care homes to save money.

It quotes Whitehall sources as saying the UK Health Security Agency is in a state of disarray, with morale at rock bottom. The agency says it's adjusting the size of its workforce as had always been planned.

And the Mirror reports on a lottery winner who it says is "addicted to giving". Frances Connolly, 55, says she has already given away more than half the £115m jackpot she and her husband won in 2019.