Newspaper headlines: 'NHS leaders despair' and 'civil service crisis'

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By BBC News
Staff
PA Media

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to drop his party's commitment to free university tuition within weeks, according to the Times

A variety of stories lead Tuesday's papers.

The Times believes Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to drop his party's commitment to free university tuition within weeks. A senior Labour source is quoted as saying that, at a time when spending commitments are being so carefully watched, it's a "glaring anomaly" that the party hasn't changed its stance on tuition fees.

The Labour leader also features on the front of the Daily Telegraph. The paper's main story focuses on a Cabinet Office report which it says will reveal that Sue Gray - the former senior civil servant who is set to become Sir Keir's chief of staff - held talks with Labour while still working with a team that was advising a cross-party group of MPs investigating the Partygate scandal. A Labour source has told the Telegraph that Ms Gray had no involvement with the team's Partygate work while she was in contact with Sir Keir, but the paper says the findings will heap pressure on the Labour leader not to confirm the appointment.

The Home Office is planning to acquire up to ten disused cruise liners, ferries, and barges to house asylum seekers in ports across the country, according to the Guardian. The paper says officials have been told to look at "all options" to find housing for migrants who've been caught up in processing delays.

The Financial Times reports that accounting firms Deloitte and PwC have noticed that recruits whose education was disrupted by the pandemic have weaker teamwork and communication skills than previous generations. The firms report that young staff members who spent time away from the classroom during lockdowns appear to be good at working independently but struggle with speaking up in meetings and making presentations. Both Deloitte and PwC are offering staff extra training, which the paper says demonstrates the challenges faced by employers in dealing with the long-term impact of pandemic restrictions.

Reuters

The Royal Family have shared a new photograph of Princess Charlotte to mark her eighth birthday

Most of the front pages feature a new photograph of Princess Charlotte shared by the Royal Family to mark her eighth birthday. Many also continue the countdown to the King's coronation on Saturday. The Daily Mirror says the event is expected to give the UK economy an £8bn boost as people celebrate the occasion. "Wad save the King," reads the headline. The Daily Express is one of several papers to include a picture of the heavy golden robe the King will wear for the ceremony, saying he will "feel the weight of history".

The story of a South Korean student who ate a banana that was part of a renowned art installation is carried in the Guardian. The artwork, which was on display at a museum in Seoul, consisted of the fruit duct-taped to a wall. The student is reported to have said he ate the banana because he was "hungry" after missing breakfast. He also tried to argue that "damaging a work of modern art could also be interpreted as artwork".