Newspaper headlines: PM faces Hancock questions and Javid's 19 July push

BBC NewsStaff
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The Daily Mirror and the Sun report that Matt Hancock is facing questions about taking his aide, Gina Coladangelo, whom he was filmed kissing, to a G7 meeting in Oxford which involved an overnight stay in a luxury hotel paid for by the taxpayer.

The Guardian says Downing Street is struggling to contain the scandal and Boris Johnson has huge questions to answer.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is quoted as saying the resignation is far from the end of the matter.

The Times says the Conservatives fear that the prime minister's "loyalty to Mr Hancock will do damage".

One minister tells the paper it was not a good idea for Boris Johnson to suggest Mr Hancock could "return to front line politics".

News imagePA Media former health Secretary Matt Hancock with adviser Gina ColadangeloPA Media
Former health Secretary Matt Hancock with adviser Gina Coladangelo

The Politico site also thinks the prime minister's handling of the situation has highlighted his blind spots and revived questions about his judgement.

It says when it comes to matters of the heart, or trousers, Mr Johnson always seems to hedge his bets.

The Daily Express believes "Britain's Covid resolve has been put to the test" by Mr Hancock's behaviour.

His rule breaking has, according to the paper, fuelled the "frustration of a nation" and experts have warned the flood gates could be opened for "mass rule-breaking before the country is officially set free on July 19.

And so to his successor, Sajid Javid.

The Financial Times says the return of such a heavyweight is a potential boost for a cabinet struggling to appear in control of its agenda.

News imageReuters The new health secretary Sajid JavidReuters

But then the paper sets out the daunting tasks on Mr Javid's to do list - from grappling with restrictions and restiveness about foreign travel to persuading the prime minister and chancellor to fund social care reform.

He says with all the challenges the new health secretary faces, he should be greeted with a sign in his office saying "welcome to hell".

The Daily Mail leads with a report that almost 100,000 children have failed to return to education full time after schools reopened their doors.

It says research by the Centre for Social Justice found the figure for those who spend more time off school more than actually in their lessons has rocketed by more than 50% compared with the year before.

The paper's headline describes them as the "lost children of lockdown".

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The Times reports that more than 60,000 trees planted as a "magnificent and enduring celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee" could be chopped down to make way for houses.

The trees were planted in 2012 on Ministry of Defence land in Lincolnshire now earmarked for development.

The final tree at the site was an oak planted by the Princess Royal - it is unclear if that will avoid the chop.

And the Daily Telegraph says Mr Hancock finally resigned on Saturday night after being told that 80 Tory MPs - more than a quarter of the parliamentary party - had complained to the whips office about his failure to step down.

A Tory source tells the Daily Mail that no cabinet minister "was prepared to break sweat to help" Mr Hancock as "his credibility was shot", after breaking his own Covid restrictions.