Newspaper headlines: 'Threat to quit ECHR' and 'mortgage price war'

1px transparent line
By BBC News
Staff
EPA

The Daily Telegraph says Rishi Sunak will face calls from a third of his cabinet to put leaving the European Convention on Human Rights at the heart of the Conservative election campaign if the courts block migrant deportation flights to Rwanda. The Supreme Court is due to decide on the policy soon. Flights have been suspended since June last year when a judge at the European Court of Human Rights - which rules on the Convention - issued an injunction halting the deportations.

The Daily Express carries the same story, quoting the immigration minister, Robert Jenrick, who said he would do whatever was necessary to end the small boats crisis. Inside, it admits leaving the Convention would be a huge step. The Sun says, in an editorial, that ministers are right to consider the move.

The i says the Home Office hasn't ruled out putting up tents in Essex to house thousands of asylum seekers. Despite initially rejecting the plan, officials are now reported to have said the marquees could be erected at RAF Wethersfield after talks with local groups.

"Have we finally turned the corner on mortgage misery?" asks the Daily Mail, as it reports that Halifax - the UK's largest lender - is expected to slash its rates by around 0.7 of a percentage point. The paper says the move is part of "a price war that will bring much-needed relief to embattled homeowners" following similar decisions from Nationwide, TSB and HSBC. It suggests that the cuts will bolster hopes that mortgage rates have peaked - even though borrowers face near-record payments.

Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, has told The Times that government delays have hampered his efforts to reform the force. He wants to see legislation pushed through giving police chiefs in England and Wales powers to dismiss officers unfit to serve, instead of independent lawyers. Sir Mark - who's vowed to rid the Met of rogue staff - is quoted as saying that hundreds of officers who would have been sacked by officer-chaired panels are still serving across the country. The Home Office says it's publishing its dismissals review shortly.

According to the Guardian, new research suggests about one in three students starting university this year may opt to live at home - up from about one in five in England before the pandemic. The University College London study said rising costs and "family needs" were affecting school leavers.

The Financial Times reports that Chinese companies are racing to buy high-performance chips crucial for generative artificial intelligence from the American company Nvidia, in case the US imposes export controls. The Biden administration has unveiled a series of measures designed to limit Chinese access to advanced US technology.