What the papers say – September 9

The stories across the Saturday papers include the manhunt for escaped prisoner Daniel Khalife, the one-year anniversary of the Queen’s death and the ongoing concrete crisis. The Times and The Independent have run with front pages on escaped HMP Wandsworth prisoner Daniel Sharife as the manhunt for the former soldier continues. The Financial Times has focused on the ongoing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) scandal, now plaguing schools and other government buildings across the UK, running a splash that reveals ministers ignored crucial advice on the concrete before it was too late. This week marked the one-year anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, with the Daily Mirror opting for a splash that tugs at the heartstrings with: ‘Miss you, Granny.’ The new Covid-19 variant has seen calls for over-50s to be made eligible for the vaccine, with The Guardian running with the story of MPs urging Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to widen access to jabs to protect against coronavirus. The Daily Express has run with a front page claiming that MPs must not kowtow to judges who rule according to concerns of the day, resulting in the judiciary setting precedents while being exploited by ‘bogus asylum seekers’ and ‘terrorists’. The Daily Mail carries the story of a teen girl with a rare degenerative condition vowing to fight NHS doctors who say she ‘should be left to die’. Onto the climate, The Daily Telegraph says the UK’s ‘obsession’ with the net zero target has triggered a rise in inflation. The Daily Star warns Britons to be wary of ‘hornets at beer o’clock’ as people get out and about to enjoy the sunshine. Finally, The Sun leads with Andrew Flintoff’s return to coaching the England cricket squad in Wales after his horror crash while filming Top Gear.