What the papers say – October 7
Differing views over imposing pandemic restrictions and the consequences of the US president spreading “fake news” lead Wednesday’s papers.
The Times reports the UK is on “lockdown alert”, but The Daily Telegraph says the Cabinet is split over an overhaul of restrictions after the leaders of the cities most affected by coronavirus said the current measures were “not working”.
Soaring virus rate leaves Britain on lockdown alert#tomorrowspaperstoday@BBCHelenapic.twitter.com/33wEDrC9of
— The Times Pictures (@TimesPictures) October 6, 2020
Tomorrow’s Telegraph front page: “Cabinet split over tougher lockdown”#TomorrowsPapersToday
Read here: https://t.co/KofOtVJY1Ipic.twitter.com/sHblJaQ8Ax
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) October 6, 2020
More than 4,000 scientists led by epidemiologists from Oxford have called for a “rethink” of lockdown, which they say should only apply to the elderly and vulnerable, according to the Daily Mail.
Wednesday's @DailyMailUK#MailFrontPagespic.twitter.com/fzaNiMmnvD
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) October 6, 2020
The Guardian reports three of the country’s largest universities have shifted to online classes due to coronavirus outbreaks.
Guardian front page, Wednesday 7 October 2020: Universities scrapping face-to-face teaching as student infections soar pic.twitter.com/61vh5dC2cN
— The Guardian (@guardian) October 6, 2020
The i says new figures show the proportion of people dying in hospital from Covid-19 is far lower than in spring.
Revealed: Medics are saving significantly more patients in second wave of Covid-19
Wednesday's front page#TomorrowsPapersTodaypic.twitter.com/amqvNnceGV
— i newspaper (@theipaper) October 6, 2020
Boris Johnson has established his vision to fix the country at the Conservative Party’s virtual conference, with the Daily Express quoting him as saying Britain “will come out of this darkness fighting fit”.
Tomorrow's front page: Boris: We will come out of this darkness fighting fit#tomorrowspaperstodaypic.twitter.com/y5FBzkuSkL
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) October 6, 2020
The Daily Mirror, however, refers to the Prime Minister as a “wind bag”, with Labour’s Angela Rayner saying of his speech: “We got the usual bluster and no plans for the months ahead.”
Tomorrow's front page: https://t.co/osDboWk7Gb#TomorrowsPapersTodaypic.twitter.com/b6ZQFe7KUX
— Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) October 6, 2020
And the “rose-tinted” speech has prompted a “business backlash” after the PM “largely ignored the challenges of preventing job losses and scaling up” virus testing, according to TheIndependent.
Wednesday’s Independent: Business backlash as PM ignores Covid fallout #TomorrowsPapersTodaypic.twitter.com/mOit2agdqu
— Helena Wilkinson (@BBCHelena) October 6, 2020
Meanwhile, the Financial Times says concerns have been raised over the supply of vital testing materials for a range of conditions, including Covid-19, following a supply chain problem with pharmaceutical giant Roche.
Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Wednesday 7 October https://t.co/2DAstDMUUipic.twitter.com/7dIbkGni5Z
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) October 6, 2020
Donald Trump has had a Facebook post removed and been censored by Twitter after he played down the severity of the coronavirus, in what Metro calls “Fake Flu News”.
Wednesday’s Metro: Fake flu news #TomorrowsPapersTodaypic.twitter.com/e3cxaG5NjR
— Helena Wilkinson (@BBCHelena) October 6, 2020
The Sun calls on its “big-hearted readers” to support the annual Poppy Appeal for those who rely on the British Legion.
Tomorrow's front page: 'The annual Poppy Appeal needs The Sun's army of big-hearted readers more than ever this year' https://t.co/OspHHzpVbGpic.twitter.com/sBeRBAI6SM
— The Sun (@TheSun) October 6, 2020
And the Daily Star says Mesut Ozil has offered to pay the full wages of the man inside Arsenal’s Gunnersaurus mascot costume, after Jerry Quy was made redundant as part of the club’s cost-cutting.
Tomorrow's front page: Jurassic Classic #tomorrowspaperstodayhttps://t.co/8pgKPpgOlPpic.twitter.com/YMRj1jw6qN
— Daily Star (@dailystar) October 6, 2020