The weekend newspapers focus on a mixture of domestic politics and urgent international stories, with debate over social care funding, local devolution, party funding questions, and dramatic fires on the Continent dominating the coverage.
Reform UK's Robert Jenrick is also warning the PM not to "hammer families with a death tax" ahead of the Labour's unveiling of plans to tackle the social care crisis, says the Sunday Express. The paper says Burnham previously suggested that a "care levy" could be introduced to "fix" social care. It could face "fierce opposition" if that means people who would not have faced inheritance tax will now have their estates taxed, the paper adds. [BBC]
Domestic Politics
Robert Jenrick has urged the Prime Minister to avoid imposing what he called a 'death tax' on families, responding to reports that Labour figure Andy Burnham had previously floated a care levy as a way to shore up social care funding. The Sunday Express says such a levy could provoke strong opposition if it makes estates liable to tax that otherwise would not have paid inheritance tax.
The Sunday Times previews the government's devolution announcement next week, which will hand mayors a share of income tax revenue to spend on their cities. Elsewhere, the paper reports that Reform UK's bank account was frozen during the last election after it received donations from Fiona Cottrell, a significant donor to the party and mother of convicted fraudster George Cottrell. In a response to the paper's story, Reform said: "This story follows a number of smear stories of which many are factually untrue. Mr Farage has decided to let the voters of Clacton be the judge of his actions." [BBC]
The Sunday Times previews a government devolution package expected next week that would give mayors a share of income tax revenues to spend locally, part of a push to devolve more fiscal power to cities.
The PM has penned an opinion column in the Sunday Mirror saying the UK should be a country where "nobody is written off", vowing to cut the cost of living and lead a government that "rolls up its sleeves" rather than dodge problems. [BBC]
The paper also reports that Reform UK had a bank account frozen during the last general election after receiving donations from Fiona Cottrell, a major donor and the mother of convicted fraudster George Cottrell. Reform dismissed the coverage as a series of 'smear stories' and referenced Nigel Farage's decision to let voters in Clacton judge his actions.
New Defence Secretary Wes Streeting wants to repair the UK's relationship with US President Donald Trump by "working together" to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and pledging to modernise the Armed Forces, says the Sunday Telegraph. In its top picture spot, the paper shows homes in France in flames as wildfires continues to rage across the country. [BBC]
Leadership And Policy Signals
In a Sunday Mirror opinion piece the Prime Minister argued the UK should be a country where 'nobody is written off', promising action to cut the cost of living and describing a government that will 'roll up its sleeves' to tackle difficult problems.
"Baptism of fire" is the Observer's headline, accompanied with a picture of a man wading into the ocean as smoke billows from the wildfires in the distance. The paper reports that more than 250,000 people have been evacuated across France and Spain. [BBC]
Security And International Affairs
Newly appointed Defence Secretary Wes Streeting signalled an intention to repair relations with US President Donald Trump and to 'work together' on strategic issues including reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Streeting also pledged to modernise the Armed Forces, according to the Sunday Telegraph.
A security guard jailed for plotting to kidnap, rape and murder TV presenter Holly Willoughby has been refused permission to attend his mother's funeral after being considered "too dangerous", the Daily Star reports. [BBC]
Wildfires And Public Safety
Pictures of homes alight and thick smoke feature across front pages after wildfires in France and Spain forced more than 250,000 people to evacuate. The Observer ran the headline 'Baptism of Fire' alongside a stark image of a man wading into the sea with smoke from distant blazes behind him.
Finally, the Sun leads with the story of a police hunt for migrants reported to have fled to the UK on a boat after stabbing a man to death on a French beach. [BBC]
Other Headlines
The Daily Star reports that a security guard serving a sentence for plotting to kidnap, rape and murder TV presenter Holly Willoughby was refused permission to attend his mother's funeral after being judged 'too dangerous'. The Sun leads with a police hunt after reports that migrants who reached the UK by boat are being sought in connection with a fatal stabbing on a French beach.
Note: All items summarise weekend reporting across multiple national newspapers and reflect developments as reported by those outlets.
