Dominating Thursday’s front pages are pictures of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, and the veterans commemorating it. Under the headline “Eternally in their debt”, the Daily Express has a picture of 99-year-old veteran Peter Smoothy, standing on Juno Beach in Normandy.
A picture of the Queen appears on the front of a number of the papers, including the Daily Mail. It reports that she was “moved to tears” during a “highly emotional” D-Day service in Portsmouth. The King addressed the event, speaking of the “nation’s eternal debt to the heroes of 80 years ago”.
Veteran Alec Penstone is on the front of the Daily Mirror. The 99-year-old U-boat spotter is quoted saying “history must never be forgotten”. The paper also takes in some of the fallout from Tuesday’s election debate between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer, highlighting criticism of an attack line on tax used against Labour by the prime minister.
The same picture of Alex Penstone is also on the front of Thursday’s Daily Star. The paper reports that actress Helen Worth is leaving Coronation Street after 50 years. She has played Gail Rodwell, formerly Gail Platt, since 1974.
Marking the anniversary of the D-Day landings, the Metro has the image of the Queen, along with the headline “Camilla’s tears for D-Day hero”.
Something different on the front of the i, although a topic its readers will be familiar with – the state of the UK’s rivers. It is an issue it regularly highlights. Thursday’s front page focuses on five pledges the paper is challenging the political parties to sign up to. Its plan has been endorsed by a number of environmental charities.
Following up on Tuesday’s debate, the Guardian reports criticism of a claim by Sunak that Labour’s plans would increase taxes by £2,000. Its headline is “Sunak lied to country over Labour tax and spend plans, says Starmer”.
The front of the Times carries a report about an expected Tory election pledge, with the prime minister set to “pledge the biggest overhaul of homicide laws in a generation to ensure tougher sentences for domestic abusers”. The proposed change would raise the minimum sentence for murders committed in the home from 15 years to 25 years.
The Telegraph has on its front page a poll which puts Reform UK just two points behind the Tories, following the return of Nigel Farage. Pollsters YouGov carried out the survey of about 2,000 voters. Also in the paper is a challenge from Jeremy Hunt to Labour over taxes on property. The chancellor has called on Starmer to “explicitly rule out property tax increases if Labour wins the general election”. In response to the paper, Labour said it wanted to “reduce taxes on working people” and accused the Tories of “desperate claims”.
And the Financial Times sticks with the fallout from Tuesday’s debate and Labour accusation that Sunak resorted “to lies ” as part of his £2,000 tax rise claim. It reports that Sunak has put forward JP Morgan Chase boss Jamie Dimon and former Google chair Eric Schmidt – both of whom are American – for honours. The paper quotes “people familiar with the matter” and says “the process involves less scrutiny than the route for UK citizens”.
