What the papers say – February 1

Updated

Brexit leads most newspapers on the first day following Britain’s departure from the the European Union.

“Britain finally cuts EU ties” the Financial Times reports, The Guardian refers to “The day we said goodbye” beneath a glum-faced bulldog and The Times says a “new chapter in Britain’s history began” at 11pm on Friday night.

An apparently jubilant Daily Express entreats readers to “Rise and shine” for a “glorious new Britain” as the Daily Mirror tells leaders “Now build the Britain we were promised…”

The i simply asks”What next?”, while The Sun cites Prime Minister Boris Johnson as saying Britain’s exit of the bloc was a “stunning success” and he wants to “bring this country together”.

The Daily Telegraph says Mr Johnson is “ramping up” pressure on Brussels ahead of trade talks by “preparing to impose full customs and borders on checks” on all goods imported from Europe.

The Independent draws on experts including former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith for what it calls “The Brexit blueprint”, which promises readers it will show “how to get it right”.

The Daily Mail asks “How many more UK victims” of the coronavirus there are, adding that efforts are focused on those who have been in contact with Britain’s first two victims of the outbreak.

And the Daily Star says that “On this historic day, we’ve got the big story”, reporting a “supervet” has saved television host Declan Donnelly’s dog Rocky who was injured after encountering a “grumpy fox”.

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