Newspaper headlines: Confidence in Covid probe hit and Sussexes evicted

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By BBC News
Staff
EPA

The Telegraph has published texts showing tension between former health secretary Matt Hancock and former education secretary Sir Gavin Williamson, pictured

A variety of stories lead Thursday's papers.

For a second day, the Daily Telegraph leads on the leak of pandemic WhatsApp messages, this time suggesting that Matt Hancock mounted what's described as a "rearguard action" to close schools in England, despite the then-education secretary, Sir Gavin Williamson, battling "tooth and nail" to keep them open.

Writing for the paper, Sir Gavin ponders whether he should have resigned when it was announced that schools would close for a second time - as he felt "so personally upset about it". He says his plea to put pupils first was ignored, leaving him "absolutely crushed" and "devastated". He says that what was most upsetting was that he felt it "wasn't done for the right reasons" - that in the first lockdown, there was no choice but to obey medical advice, but further into the pandemic, data showed low levels of pupil absence due to Covid.

The Telegraph also carries a column from the journalist who leaked the messages, Isabel Oakeshott, who says the closure of schools was the most "egregious travesty of the pandemic". She says she was motivated in leaking the messages by what she describes as "the appalling disregard for the wellbeing of young people".

Ms Oakeshott was given copies of the messages while helping Mr Hancock write his book, Pandemic Diaries. The Guardian says that, by entrusting 100,000 official WhatsApp messages to a journalist known to be an outspoken critic of lockdowns, confidence in the Covid inquiry has been undermined.

The online-only Independent dubs the furore the "WhatsApp war" and says that Rishi Sunak is now under pressure to fast-track the public inquiry into Covid. Focusing on the earlier allegations that Mr Hancock rejected advice about testing procedures for care homes, the Metro says grieving families have been left "sickened". The Mirror calls Hancock's decision a "tragic betrayal".

Reuters

A number of papers carry the news that the Sussexes are to be evicted from Frogmore Cottage, their home in the grounds of Windsor Castle

The Times reports that millions of patients will be offered help to come off antidepressants and painkillers under an NHS drive to tackle addiction to prescription pills. It says that under the plan, intended to avoid a US-style opioid crisis, patients will be encouraged to attend art, music, or gardening classes.

The i has an exclusive story reporting that UK chickens may soon be vaccinated against bird flu as a way of trying to stop it spreading to humans.

The Mail says that Carrie Johnson, wife of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, has appealed to Justice Secretary Dominic Raab not to allow the release of Robert Brown, a man jailed for the killing of his estranged wife, halfway through a 26-year sentence. The paper says Mrs Johnson believes the law is letting women down and that Brown's release would represent a "real failure in our system".

The reaction of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to being told to give up Frogmore Cottage also attracts front page coverage. The Daily Express quotes an ally of the couple describing it as "like a cruel punishment" and says King Charles has dealt the couple a "crushing blow". The Sun's front page includes a mocked up eviction notice from King Charles, giving the reasons as: "Your ghastly book, the appalling Netflix series and making the United States your country of primary residence".