Newspaper headlines: Starmer's 'Thatcher backlash' and PM on BBC licence

The Times leads on research which says Britain's obesity problem is costing the UK around £100bn a year and looks set to scupper Rishi Sunak's plans to get the sick back to work. The paper says new analysis shows the impact on national productivity from people carrying excess weight is nine times bigger than previously thought. The Department for Health says it is taking "firm action" to tackle obesity.

Some of the papers look ahead to the prospect of a general election next year. The Daily Express carries an interview with Richard Holden, who became the new Conservative party chairman last month. He says he is putting the party on a "war footing" from January, and believes a fifth term is within their grasp.

The i reports that the Tories are facing a growing threat from Nigel Farage's Reform UK because of anger among voters over high migration figures. At the same time, the Daily Telegraph says more Conservative MPs are expected to say they are quitting politics in the New Year and will not stand at the next election because of poor polling numbers.

There is also more reaction to Sir Keir Starmer's comments crediting Margaret Thatcher, as well as Tony Blair and Clement Attlee, with bringing about meaningful change in Britain. The Daily Mirror describes the Labour leader's comments about the former Conservative prime minister as "bizarre" and says they have "enraged" some in his own party. The Sun calls the move a "brazen grab" for Tory voters.

Both the Telegraph and the Mail lead on comments from Rishi Sunak urging the BBC to be realistic about what the public can afford, ahead of a planned rise in the cost of the TV licence. There is also speculation that the government could intervene to limit the increase. The licence fee has been frozen for the past two years but is due to go up in line with inflation from 2024. In a statement, the BBC said it would continue to focus on delivering world class content and providing great value for audiences.

Many of the papers feature photographs of Baroness Kinnock who died yesterday at the age of 79. The Mirror describes the politician and wife of the former Labour leader, Neil Kinnock, as a "beloved force of nature". The headline in the i says she was "truly formidable".

Growing numbers of children are choosing not to study foreign languages at GCSE because they do not think it will help them in their career, reports the Times. Research shows that children do enjoy the subject, but don't see any value in it. The paper says this attitude is also hitting universities, with some struggling to keep language courses running.

Finally, fraudsters who pass off "ropey plonk" as "high end tipple" may soon have to answer to artificial intelligence, according to the Guardian. Scientists have trained an algorithm to trace wines to their origins, based on routine chemical analysis. While tackling wine fraud is the most obvious use of the programme, researchers say it could also be used to monitor quality throughout the winemaking process. They say this alternative application could make it a lot cheaper to make great blends of wine, which would benefit everyone.

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