What the papers say – January 25
Tuesday’s papers carry fresh partying claims at Downing Street during lockdown, as well as the looming threat of war posed by Russia.
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Your support makes all the difference.The nation’s front pages are dominated by fresh partygate revelations after Downing Street admitted that Carrie Johnson threw a birthday party for Boris Johnson in 2020.
The Guardian writes that on June 19, 2020, the Prime Minister’s then-fiancee threw him a birthday party which was attended by up to 30 staff – despite Covid rules at the time banning indoor social gatherings.
The Daily Mirror, The Sun, the Daily Star and i also lead with the claims, with the Mirror quoting the daughter of a man who died of Covid in the weeks before the birthday party, calling it “sickening”.
Members of Mr Johnson’s team were emailed in advance asking them to come to “wish the prime minister happy birthday”, according to a source quoted in The Times.
In more fresh claims of misconduct at Downing Street, The Independent reports that an Islamophobia review announced by the Tories in 2019 had not progressed beyond that.
Elsewhere, the Daily Mail carries its campaign to have the national insurance hike scrapped in April as cost-of-living is set to skyrocket, reporting that former Brexit chief Lord Frost is calling for it to be axed.
Elsewhere, Metro, the Daily Express and the Daily Telegraph all lead with the growing threat of war in Eastern Europe as Western leaders prepare for a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The Financial Times also carries fears over the potential “lightning war”, quoting the PM as saying the 60 Russian battle groups on the borders of Ukraine could “take out Kyiv”.