The Papers: Johnson language backlash and US whistleblower

Daily Express 27/09/19 — Image caption Reaction to yesterday’s heated Commons debate continues on Friday’s front pages. “Boris: I won’t surrender no-deal threat” is the front page headline of the Daily Express. It says the “defiant” prime minister told MPs to control their tempers “but insists he will keep talking tough”. Many of the papers also carry photos of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi following their engagement announcement yesterday.

Metro front page 27/09/19 — Image caption The Metro leads with comments made by the prime minister’s sister, Rachel Johnson. The paper says she accused him of being “very tasteless” and using the House of Commons as a “bully pulpit”.

i front page 27/09/19 — Image caption Also splashing on the same story, the i says Ms Johnson accused her brother of using a “strongman gambit” to whip up voters. It also reports that this weekend’s Tory conference was “thrown into disarray” after MPs voted down a proposed recess.

The Times front page 27/09/19 — Image caption “Deliver Brexit or face riots,” is the headline on the front of the Times, as it quotes a senior cabinet minister telling the paper the country risked a “violent, popular uprising” if a second referendum on EU membership overturned the result of the first one.

Daily Telegraph front page 27/09/19 — Image caption The Daily Telegraph leads on comments made by the prime minister’s adviser, Dominic Cummings. It reports he said it was “not surprising that some people are angry” about the delay in leaving the EU and that “he found it ‘odd’ that MPs who caused the impasse were taken aback by it”.

Financial Times 27/09/19 — Image caption The Financial Times reports Mr Johnson will put the claim that his Brexit opponents are “surrendering” to Brussels at the heart of the Tory election campaign. But the paper leads on the story engulfing domestic politics in the US – “White House covered up Trump’s Ukraine call, says whistleblower”.

The Guardian front page 27/09/19 — Image caption “White House accused of cover-up over Trump call,” is the splash on the front of the Guardian. But it dedicates half its front page to female MPs telling the paper about the “intimidation” they face beyond Westminster. “I have had so many, too many, threats to detail,” it quotes Labour MP Paula Sherriff as saying.

Daily Mail front page 27/09/19 — Image caption The Daily Mail leads on a report that bank scam victims lost £207.5m in the first six months of this year, according to trade body UK Finance. It also carries a picture of Prince Beatrice with her fiance alongside the headline: “Looks who’s happy as can Bea!”

The Sun front page 27/09/19 — Image caption Meanwhile, the Sun reports Strictly Come Dancing’s Shirley Ballas is having her breast implants removed over cancer fears following a mammogram.

Mirror front page 27/09/19 — Image caption The Daily Mirror leads on a film of Derby County footballer Mason Bennett, which it says shows him “during a boozy pub session, hours before crashing his car”. Him and his teammate, Tom Lawrence, were charged with drink-driving and are due to appear at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court on 15 October.

Daily Star front page 27/0/19 — Image caption “Dumbo,” says the Daily Star, referring to one of the contestants on the latest series of BBC One’s Apprentice – he mistook a rhino for an elephant in the first episode of the new series, due to air on 2 October.

Boris Johnson’s approach to Brexit dominates the headlines.

The Daily Express says the prime minister remains “defiant” about “talking tough”.

The i leads with the comments of his sister, Rachel Johnson, who says her brother is using the “strongman gambit” to whip up voters.

The Daily Telegraph examines what it calls a rare public appearance tonight by the prime minister’s senior adviser, Dominic Cummings.

Image copyright PA Media

Image caption Dominic Cummings was speaking at a book launch

It says he suggested MPs were out of touch and would get a “terrible shock” if they thought another referendum would “wash” with voters.

A senior cabinet minister has told the Times that the country will face a “violent, popular uprising” if another referendum overturns the result of the first one.

‘Aggressive language’

The language heard in the Commons this week is the subject of criticism and analysis by the paper’s columnists.

The “shouting and aggressive language” must stop, demands the Daily Mirror, calling on Mr Johnson to set the tone.

Writing in the i, Sean O’Grady says the prime minister has adopted “militarist language” as part of an effort to create a populist revolt.

Image copyright Getty Images

The Sun insists his words reflect the powerful emotions felt by Leavers.

And the Daily Mail suggests Mr Johnson’s language is “quite tame” and accuses the Left of being “hypocritical,” while the Daily Express say “true democrats should not shy away from clear and robust language”.

But experts warn in the Guardian that the heated rhetoric risks triggering violence in the streets.

The Times says Mr Johnson’s inflammatory language is “ill judged”, further polarising the debate and making a deal less likely.

HuffPost UK says Mr Johnson has helped his party enjoy its most successful fundraising for a September. It goes onto suggest that internal polling indicates that the word “surrender” has real resonance with key voter groups.

The Daily Mirror accuses the BBC of making a “serious error of judgement” by upholding a complaint against the Breakfast television presenter Naga Munchetty.

Image copyright Getty Images

She was found to have breached impartiality rules after she criticised US President Donald Trump for telling black politicians to “go home”.

The Mail said 150 black broadcasters had demanded a reversal of the ruling.

The Guardian says BBC staff suggested that the complaints unit was dominated by older white men who might not have understood the full impact of Mr Trump’s words. The Channel 4 news presenter, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, tells the Times it was perplexing given what other “older white men have got away with saying on the BBC”.

The Financial Times carries a picture from 1976 of Jacques Chirac, cigarette in hand, saying France laments the loss of “Le Bulldozer” – a nickname the FT says he was given because of his “determination and ambition.”

Image copyright AFP

Image caption Jacques Chirac’s political career closed with the end of his second term as president in 2007

Le Parisien suggests that, despite having been booed while in power, Mr Chirac’s legacy has been kind – with people remembering him only as a sympathetic president, full of charm.

Le Monde takes up a similar theme under the headline “So long unloved”. Le Monde says once out of office his popularity improved overnight and wasn’t dulled by his corruption prosecution.