'£1bn boost for buses' and Italy-style 'migrant deals'
The Sunday Times reports that Labour is preparing to strike deals with several countries to help them stop thousands of migrants setting off on dangerous journeys to the UK. It says the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is in discussions with Turkey, Kurdistan in Iraq, and Vietnam with the hope that agreements can be reached by the end of the year. The approach, modelled on the Italian government's policy, is intended to offer incentives to residents to remain in their country as well as deterrents to stop them leaving.
According to the Observer, there has been a "shocking increase" in the number of vulnerable children deprived of their liberty by the state. The paper says many are held in illegal accommodation such as caravans, at what it calls, "eye-watering cost" to the taxpayer. The Observer says the demand for scarce placements means the individual cost for some children exceeds £1m a year. It understands the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson will set out plans to tackle the crisis this week.
The Sunday Telegraph has seen new figures from NHS England which show the rise in strokes among men and women in their 50s is increasing at a faster rate than any other age group - up 55% in the last 20 years. The NHS medical director, Prof Sir Stephen Powis, tells the paper the trend is “alarming” and shows the condition is not just a risk for elderly. He puts the rise down to poor diet, obesity, and sedentary lifestyles.
The Mail on Sunday takes aim at the number of delegates that Britain sent on a 5,000 mile round-trip to the climate change summit in Azerbaijan. It puts the figure, at what it calls, an "incredible" 470. It accuses the prime minister of hypocrisy for creating a huge carbon footprint while the government claims to be setting ambitious green targets. "Call that net zero, Sir Keir!" is the headline. A government spokesperson tells the paper that any carbon footprint is dwarfed by the "carbon prize" of delivering Labour's agenda.
The Sunday Times also carries a report that Rishi Sunak ignored his campaign director's "blunt" advice not to call an early general election. The details come from a new book by its political editor, Tim Shipman. He says a memo from Isaac Levido in April urged Sunak to wait until the autumn when there might be better economic news.
The front page of the Sunday Express carries a warning that pensioners could die as freezing weather sweeps Britain. It blames Labour's decision to means-test winter fuel payments. The paper criticises ministers for not extending the deadline to apply for pension credits beyond 21 December. A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson says it wants to ensure all pensioners get the support they are entitled to.
Donald Trump is looking at plans to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda, according to the Sun on Sunday. A scheme drawn up by the Conservative government was ditched by Labour when they came into power. The Sun quotes a source "close to the president elect's camp" as saying Rwanda was among the countries being considered as a destination so migrants cannot stay on US soil.
