What the papers say – February 16
Hopes and signs that Britain is emerging from the pandemic as well as drama surrounding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex feature in the Tuesday papers.
Metro leads on Boris Johnson’s desire for the latest Covid-fighting measures to be the last required, carrying a headline of “‘The final’ lockdown”.
Tuesday's front page:‘THE FINAL’ LOCKDOWN#tomorrowspaperstoday #BBCPapers #skypapers pic.twitter.com/E4WH1D9SJH
— Metro Newspaper UK (@MetroUKNews) February 15, 2021
The Daily Telegraph runs with a similar theme, with Mr Johnson saying this “must be” Britain’s last lockdown.
Tomorrow’s Telegraph front page: “Johnson: This must be the final lockdown”
Read here: https://t.co/31yagNRuFu#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/Y7ItfTzqGp
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) February 15, 2021
The Independent quotes the Prime Minister as saying “I want this lockdown to be the last”, while the Daily Express adds a more cautionary tone, quoting Mr Johnson as saying Britain can be optimistic but this is “no time to relax”.
Tuesday’s Independent: I want this lockdown to be the last, vows Johnson #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/7vSMy7D7Fw
— Helena Wilkinson (@BBCHelena) February 15, 2021
Tuesday’s Daily Express:
PM: We can be optimistic … but no time to relax #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/734WiTGr1h
— Helena Wilkinson (@BBCHelena) February 15, 2021
But there are reasons for optimism, according to The Times, which says early data is showing vaccinations are reducing hospital admissions and deaths in UK.
Tuesday’s Times: Vaccination is reducing admissions and deaths #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/Zv5XwhJjnM
— Helena Wilkinson (@BBCHelena) February 15, 2021
Meanwhile, the i reports on hitches on the first day of Britain’s new hotel quarantine, calling it “Border farce”.
Tuesday's front page: Border farce on day one of new hotel quarantine #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/lq5L1j4t0k
— i newspaper (@theipaper) February 15, 2021
Elsewhere, The Daily Mail splashes with a story saying the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to lose all their remaining royal patronages, and links the move to their decision to record a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Tuesday's @DailyMailUK #MailFrontPages pic.twitter.com/JGo1vvkC2u
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) February 15, 2021
The Daily Mirror leads on that TV deal, calling it a “Royal soap Oprah”.
Tuesday's Front Page: Royal Soap Oprah #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/yD2SDCO4oa pic.twitter.com/gHVeoc0vne
— Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) February 15, 2021
And the Daily Star mocks the Sussexes with a headline of “Publicity-shy couple to tell all to Oprah”.
Tuesday’s Daily Star: Publicity-shy couple to tell all to Oprah..Yes, really! pic.twitter.com/D3836BK5VM
— Helena Wilkinson (@BBCHelena) February 15, 2021
In other news, The Guardian splashes on the “anger” over Dominic Cummings’s role in the granting of a Government contract to a firm to research the public’s understanding of the coronavirus.
Guardian front page, Tuesday 16 February 2021: Anger over Cummings role in Covid contract pic.twitter.com/wUCgexRDj0
— The Guardian (@guardian) February 15, 2021
And Jaguar Land Rover is to stop making diesel vehicles and plans to “go electric” within 15 years, The Financial Times reports.
Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Tuesday 16 February https://t.co/c1xzG0GAO3 pic.twitter.com/at2uHCbrk2
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) February 15, 2021