Newspaper headlines: 'Someone knows something' and 'childcare giveaway'
- Published
Paul Ansell appears on the front of a number of Saturday's newspapers
The missing Lancashire woman Nicola Bulley makes many front pages, and the Daily Mail reports that her family is "frustrated" with the police search, external.
It quotes what it calls an "emotional" Channel 5 interview with her partner, Paul Ansell - who insisted someone in the village of St Michael's on Wyre knew what happened to the 45-year-old.
His picture features on many of the front pages, along with his claim that he was "100% convinced" the mother of two did not fall in the river, as police believe.
He has demanded officers widen their search on land, external, says the Daily Mirror. The Daily Telegraph says police were forced to issue dispersal orders, external, after members of the public were caught trespassing on private property near the village and posting videos online.
The Guardian leads with a report that the government is looking at plans to massively expand free childcare in England, external.
It says the Treasury is considering a 30-hour-a-week entitlement for children aged nine months to three years who have working parents, in a move that could cost billions of pounds. The paper points out that Labour has previously suggested it would promise an overhaul of the childcare system to woo voters at the next election.
The Times says people who claim universal credit will be made to attend a two-week programme designed to get them into work, external, or risk losing their benefits.
Ministers are piloting the plans in four areas in England and Scotland, as part of what the paper calls the government's "carrot and stick" bid to tackle unemployment. The programme will apply to people who have been out of work for three months.
The Telegraph says the investigation into whether Boris Johnson knowingly misled MPs about the Partygate scandal is reportedly making little progress, external.
The paper says witnesses have been put off testifying because they would be named when their evidence is given to the former prime minister. It quotes one whistleblower who says it would be "like telling on the Mafia".
The report claims Parliament's privileges committee is struggling to secure messages and emails that show Mr Johnson knew the scale of lockdown rule-breaking within government while he issued denials in public. Mr Johnson has denied he lied to MPs.
The Times understands a cross-party group of MPs is set to issue a stern rebuke to the BBC's chairman, external, Richard Sharp, for not disclosing his role in a loan to Boris Johnson during the selection process for the role.
It has spoken to two committee members looking into his appointment, after it was alleged he helped facilitate the £800,000 loan while Mr Johnson was prime minister. Mr Sharp has denied any wrongdoing and has told the committee he made sure due process was followed, the paper adds.
The big question in the Daily Express is whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend the King's coronation, external. An insider tells the paper Prince Harry and Meghan are on the list, but a quick decision is wanted on whether or not they will show up.
They say a seating plan is being drawn up that will make sure Prince Harry and Prince William are not pictured next to each other.
London will not shine so brightly in the near future, reports the Financial Times. It says the City of London will ask the owners of skyscrapers to turn off or dim their lights at night , externalas part of a strategy to tackle visual pollution and save energy.
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