What the papers say – December 29
Many of Tuesday’s front pages feature mounting demands for the Government to keep secondary schools closed in January over surging coronavirus infections.
The Times says Boris Johnson is “under pressure” from Cabinet ministers and scientific advisers to delay school reopenings, while The Guardian reports the Government is “split” over the matter.
PM under pressure to delay school reopenings#tomorrowspaperstoday@hendopolispic.twitter.com/xPAZ8r8gu9
— The Times Pictures (@TimesPictures) December 28, 2020
Guardian front page, Tuesday 29 December 2020: Covid surge triggers split over school restart plan pic.twitter.com/yhI3MGqjTc
— Guardian news (@guardiannews) December 28, 2020
Robert Halfon, chairman of the Commons education committee, is quoted in the Daily Mail as saying keeping schools shut could “embed a new epidemic of education poverty in this country”.
Tuesday's @DailyMailUK#MailFrontPagespic.twitter.com/WvOPX5o0Lg
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) December 28, 2020
The Government has been warned it needs to double the current target for coronavirus vaccinations to avoid a third wave, according to The Daily Telegraph.
TELEGRAPH: We must vaccinate 2m a week #TomorrowsPapersTodaypic.twitter.com/eZpvqniGVO
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) December 28, 2020
NHS chief Sir Simon Stevens tells The Sun 22 million Britons will be vaccinated by spring, in what the paper describes as a “much-needed dose of optimism”.
Tomorrow's Front Page: Covid vaccine will reach 22million Brits by spring https://t.co/5RvpcLTE0npic.twitter.com/sQsmRV8Pmr
— The Sun (@TheSun) December 28, 2020
The Independent reports NHS data shared with hospital bosses on Monday shows England’s hospitals “now have more coronavirus patients than at any other point in the pandemic”.
INDEPENDENT DIGITAL: Hospitals feel strain from record Covid pressure #TomorrowsPapersTodaypic.twitter.com/MmoAcNzONv
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) December 28, 2020
An agreement signed with Turkey means Britain now has trade deals with 62 countries and is “heading for a post-Brexit boom” worth £900 billion, the Daily Express says.
Tomorrow's front page: '£900bn' https://t.co/3cOSCsnFbY#TomorrowsPapersTodaypic.twitter.com/JDWsQ3Q9Gi
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) December 28, 2020
The Financial Times reports the EU is expected to sign a business investment deal with China this week which will “likely” cause friction with incoming US president Joe Biden.
Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Tuesday 29 December https://t.co/pERRznsJi2pic.twitter.com/NBq5jU1yt6
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) December 28, 2020
And British explorers in Antarctica are “planning a wild and boozy New year’s Eve megaparty” without any pandemic restrictions, according to the Daily Star.