What the papers say - March 22
A possible continental coup for the makers of post-Brexit blue British passports and Ant McPartlin's drink-driving charge make headlines on Thursday.
"Sacre bleu!" exclaims the Daily Mail on its front page, reporting that Gemalto, which is listed on the French and Dutch stock exchanges, has offered to print the passports for £50 million less than British firms.
Thursday's @DailyMailUK#MailFrontPagespic.twitter.com/DE3an5Or0Y
-- Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) March 21, 2018
The Daily Telegraph says plans to hand the Franco-Dutch company the contract has provoked fury among Bexiteer Tories, with Sir Bill Cash, chairman of the influential European Scrutiny Committee, branding it "completely wrong".
The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph: 'Blue Brexit passports to be made in Europe'#tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/mV7xrFg3PM
-- The Telegraph (@Telegraph) March 21, 2018
A photo of a forlorn McPartlin fills the front of the Daily Mirror, which says the host checked in to rehab on Wednesday after he was questioned by police and visited by co-presenter Declan Donnelly.
Tomorrow's front page: Ant on drink-drive charge #TomorrowsPapersTodayhttps://t.co/33Ow7Ny0Ttpic.twitter.com/G7vsyVFpQj
-- Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) March 21, 2018
"Ant & dock" reads a headline on The Sun's front page, while it leads on a story about a police force giving officers two "yoga days" a year to help them deal with stress.
Tomorrow's front page: Struggling police force gives officers two 'yoga days' off a year to help them beat stress pic.twitter.com/8QlBMRP13C
-- The Sun (@TheSun) March 21, 2018
The Metro has a picture of McPartlin beside a police car on its front page, along with a lead story on a pay rise for NHS workers.
METRO: Ant charged as Dec goes solo #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/IxkFN37wAI
-- Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) March 21, 2018
The i leads with the pay rise story, saying a £4 billion deal will offer hope to millions of public sector workers.
I: Pay rise hope for millions after £4bn NHS deal #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/twHccGoRiZ
-- Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) March 21, 2018
Advertisers have threatened Facebook they will take their business elsewhere after Mark Zuckerberg admitted that the company had made mistakes over the Cambridge Analytica scandal, The Times reports.
Tomorrow's front page: Advertisers threaten to pull out of Facebook: Zuckerberg says sorry for personal data scandal #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/gi06MlfeDe
-- The Times of London (@thetimes) March 21, 2018
The Guardian reports on a warning by the police watchdog that under-pressure forces are taking days to respond to 999 calls when they should be dealt with in an hour.
GUARDIAN: Police taking days to respond to 999 incidents as budget cuts bite #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/P65muDPPqB
-- Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) March 21, 2018
The Independent reports on the ongoing row with Russia over the poisoning of spy Sergei Skripal, saying MI6 fears the Kremlin could reveal the identities of UK British intelligence officers.
Tomorrow's @independent front page #tomorrowspaperstoday To subscribe to the Daily Edition https://t.co/XF8VnDpHYFpic.twitter.com/WJ77qToyAj
-- The Independent (@Independent) March 21, 2018
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson's agreement with an MP's suggestion that Vladimir Putin will use this summer's World Cup for propaganda like the 1936 Munich Olympics under Hitler's regime leads the Daily Express.
EXPRESS: Boris: Putin's just like Hitler #tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/bfZNMiLMsp
-- Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) March 21, 2018
The Financial Times leads with news from the US that new Federal Reserve chairman Jay Powell has lifted short-term interest rates in response to stronger domestic and international growth.
Just published: front page of the Financial Times UK edition, Thursday March 22 https://t.co/rtRAKMvpzEpic.twitter.com/nnmQW5D3bs
-- Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) March 21, 2018