There’s a mix of stories on Monday’s front pages. The Daily Telegraph leads with data that shows more than 600,000 households received more in welfare payments than the average worker’s salary. The paper says the analysis done by the Conservative Party will provoke calls for overhauling the benefits budget as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faces pressure to cut welfare spending to boost the defence budget. Alongside, the Telegraph’s picture spot features bank holiday revellers raising a pint as the paper reports a surge in the cost of a round of beers and even non-alcoholic drinks. “Cost of pint hits £10 in London for first time,” the headline says.
The state pension guarantee could be scrapped should the UK go to war with Russia, the i Paper reports. According to “government insiders” quoted by the paper, high-profile spending such as triple lock, net zero policies and benefits would need to be scaled back if the two countries fought each other.
In another potential rise in costs, parking fines could “double” under new proposals being considered by Labour, according to the Daily Mail. Ministers are reportedly looking into findings of a trial in which a council hiked parking tickets to £160, when tickets issued outside London are currently capped at £70, the paper reports.
