The Papers: French police ‘at war’ and Meghan column ‘sexist’on July 1, 2023 at 5:00 am

The Daily Telegraph’s front page features a large image of riots in Marseille in southern France. It carries a quote from police unions which said officers were “at war with vermin”.

The Daily Mirror features several pictures from the rioting on its inside pages, and says Paris is in “turmoil”. Several of the papers report that UK tourists are being warned about travelling to the country with more than two million British people due to visit in the coming weeks. The Financial Times says this week’s protests will hamper Emmanuel Macron’s attempts to move on from mass demonstrations about pension reforms.

The prime minister’s 15-year strategy to improve the NHS in England is in most of the morning editions. The Guardian has a warning from doctors’ unions, who say the plan to shorten medical training by a year could dilute the calibre of the workforce. It’s a similar theme in the i paper which raises concerns over the safety of apprenticeships.

The Daily Mail focuses on Rishi Sunak’s pledge to make new dentists spend more time working for the health service. The paper quotes him as saying it is unacceptable that two in three dentists head to private practice straight after qualifying. The Times carries quotes from the British Dental Association which says the move would “handcuff the next generation of dentists to a sinking ship”. That story also makes the front page of the Daily Express.

The Conservatives are considering including a pledge to hold a referendum on migration in their general election manifesto, according to the i. The paper claims that voters could be given a choice on quitting the European Convention on Human Rights after the government’s plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda was ruled unlawful. It’s spoken to a former government aide who describes the idea as “Brexit part two”. In his column for the Daily Mail, Boris Johnson says it’s time to “Get Rwanda Done“.

The Times says volunteers at the RNLI have complained that the organisation is rife with “abhorrent” and “disgusting” levels of sexism and misogyny. The paper has seen documents which it says provide a snapshot of widespread concerns of bigotry including suggestions that women should not be at sea. The RNLI tells the paper there’s no place for such behaviour in its workforce, and it will take action where necessary.

The Daily Express leads on an interview with the royal expert Michael Cole who says Princes William and Harry must end their feud. Today would have been Princess Diana’s 62nd birthday, and the paper says the rowing brothers should “bury the hatchet” and honour their mother’s memory.

The Sun leads on a Just Stop Oil protest which was halted in London after a stag do ran off with one of their banners. A man dressed in a pink T-shirt and a tutu interrupted the demonstration outside Waterloo station yesterday. The paper’s headline is “Foiled again”.

And the Telegraph says tennis fans who buy strawberries at Wimbledon will get more bang for their buck. Organisers have confirmed that the cost of a punnet, containing ten berries, will remain at £2.50, despite inflation. The fruits are likely to be bigger and sweeter this year due to a slightly late harvest.