'Tax rises needed to plug £35bn gap' and 'Putin breaks Trump's 'ceasefire"

3 hours ago

News image — Several of today's papers cover a warning form the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) of a funding gap in UK finances ahead of the chancellor's Budget. The i Paper leads with the £35bn "gap", saying tax rises will be "needed to plug" it. It attributes this to "high inflation and the UK's defence spending pledge". The Treasury declined to comment on speculation surrounding the Budget. The paper also covers the deadly attacks on Riyadh airport, saying they have alarmed "Saudi elite - and Washington". According to The i, the BBC will fill its "license fee hole" by selling Blue Planet III and launching a "new dating show for right-wing men".

"Tax rises needed to plug £35bn gap, UK economists warn chancellor" reads the headline on the frone page of The i Paper. — Several of today's papers cover a warning form the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) of a funding gap in UK finances ahead of the chancellor's Budget. The i Paper leads with the £35bn "gap", saying tax rises will be "needed to plug" it. It attributes this to "high inflation and the UK's defence spending pledge". The Treasury declined to comment on speculation surrounding the Budget. The paper also covers the deadly attacks on Riyadh airport, saying they have alarmed "Saudi elite - and Washington". According to The i, the BBC will fill its "license fee hole" by selling Blue Planet III and launching a "new dating show for right-wing men".

"Putin breaks Trump's 'ceasefire'," reads the headline on the front page of the Daily Telegraph. — Atop the Daily Telegraph is the headline "Putin breaks Trump's 'ceasefire'." Russia attacked a power plant in Ukraine "just hours" after the US President "claimed" he had brokered a ceasefire on energy sites, it reports. Like The i, the Telegraph also writes that "Healey faces £35bn hole in Budget", saying the warning comes from "Britains top economic think tank". The paper also covers a pledge from Reform UK to ban asylum applications for five years.

"Beat pump subsidy to be cut to fund defence plan" reads the headline on the front page of the Guardian. — The Guardian also covers the UK's finances in its top story, writing that the heat pump subsidy will be "cut to fund defence plan". On US President Donald Trump's reported ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine on energy sites, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is quoted as saying the deal was "news to me".

"Almost 2m on sickness benefit may not qualify" reads the headline on the front page of the Times. — The Times notes that the IFS has said the tax rises needed to fill the funding gap would be equivalent to raising every tax bracket by three percentage points. It leads on its own investigation, which it says reveals that the government is "paying out sickness benefits to almost 2 million people without knowing whether they still qualify". It echoes the Guardian's coverage that Zelensky was unaware of the "energy truce".

"Lettuce Liz iceberg ahead!" reads the headline on the front page of the Daily Star. — "Lettuce Liz iceberg ahead!" warns the Daily Star, saying a "Truss-style crash can happen again". The chancellor has been "urged to steady the ship", it writes.

"Russia role in Brexit' reads the headline on the front page of the Metro. — Leading the Metro are comments from Prime Minister Andy Burnham's that Russia played a role in Brexit. He is the "first PM to confirm Kremlin meddling", it says.

"US threatens block on Kyiv's arms in push to halt Russian refinery attacks" reads the headline on the front page of the Financial Times. — The Financial Times reports that the US has threatened a "block on Kyiv's arms in push to halt Russian refinery attacks". American officials have been lobbying European capitals and Kyiv, according to European officials quoted by the paper. It also reports that oil executives have pulled out of an energy conference in Riyadh after the attacks on its airport.

"Hero tried to save him," reads the headline on the front page of the Daily Mirror. — The Daily Mirror covers the fatal tiger attack in Yorkshire, saying a "hero tried to save" the man who died. The woman "fought desperately to hold the man back as he climbed into enclosure". But another person who was at the zoo tells the paper that she "was not strong enough".

"Independent then. Independent now" reads the headline on the front page of te Independent. — The Independent uses its cover to celebrate its 40th anniversary. "Independent then. Independent now" reads its headline.

"Migrant gang scam is 'sign of broken Britain'," reads the headline on the front page of the Daily Express. — The Daily Express leads on an investigation into rickshaws in Westminster, saying "honest pedicab riders" have been "bullied out of the market by an organised group from Romania". It quotes Reform UK mayoral candidate Laila Cunningham in its headline as saying this is a "sign of broken Britain".

"BBC in Strictly trans ban row" reads the headline of the Sun. — The Sun headlines with "BBC in Strictly trans ban row". It says the organisation is "embroiled in a censorship row" after editing out a slogan supporting transgender women from a t-shirt worn by star Bethany Antonia. A BBC spokesperson said: "As is standard practice on any entertainment show on the BBC and in line with our editorial guidelines, appropriate steps are taken to reduce the inclusion of any overt branding or slogans that may be present, regardless of the wording or statement in question."

Many of the front pages feature reaction to US President Donald Trump's announcement of an energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. The Guardian and the Times both highlight the fact that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared to be unaware of the truce before it was announced. The Daily Telegraph leads on Zelensky's claims that Russia has continued to strike energy sites. The headline is "Putin breaks Trump's 'ceasefire'". The paper's editorial argues that the main problem with the deal is that it "only exists in the US President's head".

According to the Financial Times, the Trump administration is threatening to cut off weapons supplies to Ukraine as part of efforts to stop it attacking Russian energy infrastructure. European officials have told the paper they received calls from their American counterparts discussing such plans over the weekend. The White House has declined to comment.

The Daily Mail focuses on Boris Johnson labelling Trump's agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to lift sanctions so Russia can supply diesel to US and global markets as "sickening". The former prime minister also says the Royal Navy should intercept any Russian fuel ships in the English Channel.

The Guardian reports that ministers are preparing to slash the funds available to subsidise heat pumps, as they look for savings to increase defence spending. The programme is not expected to be abolished, but sources tell the paper that hundreds of millions of pounds could be cut from the scheme's £2.7bn budget. A government spokesperson has said details of how investment in the country's national security will be set out this autumn.

And the world of chessboxing is highlighted by the Times, after one of the founders of the hybrid sport called time on his career. The paper says Matt "Crazy Arms" Read achieved the "fairytale farewell" with a final victory in the sport, which sees combatants alternate between rounds of chess and boxing. The 47-year-old is quoted as saying: "you always want to end on a high.... but to be honest Father Time has caught up with me".

'Tax rises needed to plug £35bn gap' and 'Putin breaks Trump's 'ceasefire"

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