The Papers: ‘PM to press Macron’ and ‘mushroom murders’ trial
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July 8, 2025
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Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to the UK is splashed across several of the front pages, with the French president due to arrive on Tuesday. The Times reports that Sir Keir Starmer will urge Macron to agree a “one in, one out” migrant returns deal, despite warnings that announcing it before it is ready will lead to a surge in crossings. Also featured is a poignant picture of the girls who died or are missing after floods in Texas swept through their summer camp.
Macron’s visit also leads the Daily Telegraph, with the paper reporting what King Charles III will tell Macron when the French president visits. There are “no borders” between us, the King will say, in a plea for co-operation as Sir Keir fights to save a migrant returns deal. The main image shows the moment a police officer is alleged to have been assaulted as CCTV footage of the incident at Manchester Airport was played to jurors. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and his brother, Muhammad Amaad, 26, are said to have struck out after police were called to an incident at the Starbucks cafe in Terminal 2 arrivals on 23 July last year. Both men, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, deny the allegations.
“Hand back out £771 million, Mr Macron … s’il vous plait,” says the Daily Mail ahead of the French president’s visit. The paper says Macron will “face questions over his country’s failure to make a dent in illegal Channel crossings – despite being handed more than three quarters of a billion pounds of British taxpayers money”. Also splashed across the front page is the face of Erin Patterson, the Australian woman who was found guilty of murdering three relatives and attempting to kill another by serving wild mushrooms at a lunch.
The Sun leads with the latest development in the Jeffrey Epstein case. The paper reports that a leaked memo reveals the FBI is closing its investigation into Prince Andrew over his links to Epstein, meaning Andrew is free to travel abroad without fearing arrest. Epstein died in a New York prison cell in 2019 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. Prince Andrew has always denied any misconduct.
The closure of the inquiry into Prince Andrew also leads the Daily Mirror, with a “furious victim” of the late financier saying they have been “silenced all over again”. The US Department of Justice and FBI have concluded that sex offender Epstein did not have a so-called client list that could implicate high-profile associates, and that he did take his own life – contradicting long-held conspiracy theories about the infamous case.
The Guardian reports that bosses in the UK will be banned from using non-disclosure agreements to silence employees who have suffered harassment and discrimination in the workplace if changes to the government’s overhaul of workers’ rights are approved. An amendment to the Employment Rights Bill, which is expected to become law later this year, will void any confidentiality agreements seeking to prevent workers from speaking about allegations of harassment or discrimination.
Labour’s planning legislation has been branded “hypocrisy on stilts”, the Daily Express reports, with ministers pushing to build 1.5 million new homes – despite previously opposing developments in their own constituencies. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and housing minister Matthew Pennycook are leading the push for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which has sparked a widespread backlash for threatening protected habitats and wildlife. The pair are among half a dozen Labour MPs who have opposed similar developments in the past.
Donald Trump’s tariffs lead the Financial Times, with the US president extending his deadline for “reciprocal” levies. The US announced a new 25% tax on products entering the country from South Korea and Japan, which will come into force when the latest reprieve ends on 1 August. Trump began sharing a batch of letters to leaders of countries around the world outlining his tariff plans. The paper’s main image centres on Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan and Sir Keir laying wreaths at the 7 July Memorial on the 20th anniversary of the London bombings.
The i Paper reports that the Labour government’s revised welfare bill, which came after a backbench rebellion in the Commons, will lift 50,000 children and 50,000 adults out of relative poverty. Before the government’s climbdown last week, it was predicted that the bill would put 250,000 people into poverty.
The guilty verdict of Erin Patterson in Australia leads the Metro’s front page. It reports that the ex-husband of the “mushroom murderer” says she tried to poison him at least four times before the deadly dinner that killed his parents and aunt.
And finally, the Daily Star says scientists have invented a wearable “drunk patch”, which triggers a phone alert to tell you if you’re at risk of dehydration and a future hangover.
President Emmanuel Macron’s three-day state visit to the UK features on several front pages, including The Times, which says Sir Keir Starmer will urge the French leader to agree a “one in, one out” migrant returns deal. The arrangement would allow Britain to return migrants who cross the Channel in small boats to France, in exchange for accepting asylum seekers who have a family connection in the UK.
The Daily Telegraph focuses on the speech of King Charles III at tonight’s state banquet, where he will stress the vital partnership between the UK and France. The paper’s leader column argues that a cast-iron agreement to return small boat arrivals to France is the “only” way to halt the daily influx of illegal immigrants and urges Macron to realise that a workable deal is overwhelmingly in the interests of both countries. The Daily Express says Macron’s visit offers time to “nail” the problem. It calls on Sir Keir to “get tough” with the French.
The Sun reports that a leaked memo has revealed that the FBI has closed its investigation into associates of convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. With the headline, “Air Miles Andy Cleared For Take-Off”, it says Prince Andrew can now end his self-imposed travel ban, as he will feel it is “safe” to leave the UK. The Duke of York has always denied all the accusations made against him with regards to his links to Epstein. The Daily Mirror says the FBI’s decision to end its inquiry has deepened the agony for victims of the late financier.
The Times highlights how airports have begun “quietly lifting” the 100ml restriction on liquids in hand luggage. It says the move is “risking confusion” over the peak summer holiday period as passengers at Birmingham and Edinburgh can now take two litres in cabin bags – but elsewhere the rules remain strict. The Department for Transport says holidaymakers should check the website of their airport before packing any hand luggage.
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