Shropshire Star

What the papers say – May 23

An apparent lockdown breach by Boris Johnson’s closest adviser is among the topics on the front pages.

Published
British newspapers

The papers are led by the Prime Minister’s chief aide seemingly flouting measures designed to stop Covid-19’s spread and financial forecasting over furloughing.

Dominic Cummings’s encounter with police for allegedly breaching the pandemic lockdown leads The Guardian and the Daily Mirror, with the latter quoting a neighbour who saw the political adviser as saying: “It’s one rule for Dominic Cummings and one rule for the rest of us.”

The Times reports Treasury has drafted up plans to have employers pay at least 20% of the wages of furloughed staff as Rishi Sunak prepares to unwind the Government scheme.

And the Chancellor also features in the FT Weekend, which says Mr Sunak has created “tensions” with the PM over the speed at which lockdown measures are lifted.

Staying on Downing Street and The Daily Telegraph reports Mr Johnson will “scale back” Chinese firm Huawei’s role in Britain’s 5G network roll-out “in wake of virus”.

Metro says Covid-19 cases “plummet in the capital” as London records fewer than 100 new confirmed cases per day over the last fortnight.

Home Secretary Priti Patel is open to the idea of “safe corridors” between the UK and other countries for foreign holidays, according to The Sun.

And the Daily Mail offers hope in its report that “virus passports and travel corridors could allow families to travel abroad this summer”.

But the i weekend warns those with wanderlust face “Two weeks in quarantine if you want a foreign holiday”.

Travel bosses have strongly criticised the new quarantine rules for “ruling out any chance of future bookings that could help the struggling sector”, reports The Independent.

It may be better to stay at home, with the Daily Express entreating the public to “all go on a British summer holiday” and saying the new quarantine rules may boost domestic tourism.

And the Daily Star uses a throwback theme as it looks ahead to a “Spiffing!” Bank Holiday Monday, with temperatures forecast to soar around 30C.

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