The front pages: week beginning 18 May, 2014
Saturday 24 May, 2014
Not Fleet Street's finest hour. The obsession with Ukip continues and Nigel Farage is grinning all over the place. The Telegraph, Mail and Guardian all have the knives out for Miliband - in stories that carry strong echoes of yesterday's Times splash.
It's a sorry day for the prints away from the elections as well. The Mirror's splash is misjudged: the paper didn't find the yacht, as the headline implies, and the statement that the lifeboats had gone was plain wrong. So we have a story of hope for the four missing sailors, where the truth is that it is the proof that there is none. Do we care about Cheryl's playboy lover or the chap who had his 15 minutes of fame yesterday after his to-do with David Moyes? Possibly not, but probably more than we care about the fact that the chaps who run Sainsbury and Tesco are happy to eat food that's past its best-before date. As someone tweeted this morning, a sensationalist heading on a so-what story.
SubScribe: Press review on elections, malaria vaccines and house prices (again)
It's a sorry day for the prints away from the elections as well. The Mirror's splash is misjudged: the paper didn't find the yacht, as the headline implies, and the statement that the lifeboats had gone was plain wrong. So we have a story of hope for the four missing sailors, where the truth is that it is the proof that there is none. Do we care about Cheryl's playboy lover or the chap who had his 15 minutes of fame yesterday after his to-do with David Moyes? Possibly not, but probably more than we care about the fact that the chaps who run Sainsbury and Tesco are happy to eat food that's past its best-before date. As someone tweeted this morning, a sensationalist heading on a so-what story.
SubScribe: Press review on elections, malaria vaccines and house prices (again)
Friday 23 May, 2014
It's never fair to judge papers by the first edition on an election night, but who said SubScribe was fair? And anyway, they're the ones I see. The Moyes story is a gift for the tabs, just as migration figures are a gift to the Express. There are a lot of boobs about. The combination of the Mail heading and that Kylie is in pink made me think she was daring to bare in aid of breast cancer. But no, it's just a gratuitous picture to brighten up the page, repeated on page 11. The Telegraph is even worse with Viscountess Weymouth and her wedding revenge. There are two reasons this picture was chosen - and it has nothing to do with wedding dresses. It's blatant eye candy linking to a weak page 3 "story" with the obligatory bit of implied racism.
Hopeful news on the treatment of malaria from the Independent, although it's probably a little early to describe it as a breakthrough, since clinical trials have yet to start. The Express, master of all medical advances, inexplicably consigns the story to the bottom of page 20.
Inexplicably? Malaria is at its most virulent in Africa and Southeast Asia, where children tend not to survive long enough or overeat enough to worry about Alzheimer's or diabetes. The paper did, however, carry a proper report of the development. The Sun ran a small piece; no one else touched it.
Medical 'breakthrough' stories are ten a penny, and the skill comes in assessing which piece of research is likely to evolve into a useful drug or even cure. There are, for example, 20 malaria vaccines under development. The fact that this one uses proteins from people with a natural resistance to the disease makes it more promising than most. Malaria kills a child every 15 seconds, so any progress in finding treatments to prevent or combat it is important. And for those who think saving children in Africa and Asia is not relevant to them, it is worth pointing out that these are also tourist destinations and that they are especially popular with gap-year students.
See the rest of the week's papers and what the commentators have to say about the European elections here
Hopeful news on the treatment of malaria from the Independent, although it's probably a little early to describe it as a breakthrough, since clinical trials have yet to start. The Express, master of all medical advances, inexplicably consigns the story to the bottom of page 20.
Inexplicably? Malaria is at its most virulent in Africa and Southeast Asia, where children tend not to survive long enough or overeat enough to worry about Alzheimer's or diabetes. The paper did, however, carry a proper report of the development. The Sun ran a small piece; no one else touched it.
Medical 'breakthrough' stories are ten a penny, and the skill comes in assessing which piece of research is likely to evolve into a useful drug or even cure. There are, for example, 20 malaria vaccines under development. The fact that this one uses proteins from people with a natural resistance to the disease makes it more promising than most. Malaria kills a child every 15 seconds, so any progress in finding treatments to prevent or combat it is important. And for those who think saving children in Africa and Asia is not relevant to them, it is worth pointing out that these are also tourist destinations and that they are especially popular with gap-year students.
See the rest of the week's papers and what the commentators have to say about the European elections here
The commentators...on the European elections
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Polly Toynbee (Guardian) Of all our democracy's dysfunctions, the method of voting might seem a small one – but modernising elections would be a sign that Westminster was serious about the cataclysmic decline in turnout. As it stands, so long as the old parties reckon on slipping into Downing Street on a barely legitimate 35% of the vote, their pious handwringing and furrowed brows are all just crocodile tears.
Philip Collins (Times) The carnival farce of the Ukip campaign will have had its effect. Just not yet. It is a mistake to expect the political punishment to show up at once. Lots of people had already decided to inflict pain on the big parties and will have done so. The spectacle of Mr Farage having to deny that he leads a racist party, while a steel band takes its drums home, is a marker. Mr Farage has had his 15 minutes of easy publicity and the public has had its fun. |
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Loukia Gyftopolou (Independent) I have seen recession-related hate rhetoric at work in Greece and know its consequences. When people get used to hearing extreme views and learn to justify their loathing on moral grounds, it’s hard to control the outcome. In Greece’s case it started with small, almost amusing, incidents similar to the Farage-egg episode in Nottingham - and escalated to the cold-blooded murder of leftist rapper Pavlos Fyssas in September 2013. Let’s hope Britain will not have to face such sad truths.
Alex Brummer (Mai) There are those who find the rise of Ukip and some of the views of its leader, Nigel Farage, on immigration unpleasant or offensive. But by the standards of the extremist and horribly racist Continental parties likely to win seats in the new European Parliament, Ukip might be regarded as moderates. |
Thursday 22 May, 2014
The Telegraph, bastion of the Right, finds itself in rare concert with the Left's flagbearers - but not on the political front. It joins the Mirror in splashing on the ebay threat. A good decision by both papers, since it is fresh and will affect millions of people. It is also in common cause with the Guardian in the choice of La Loren, aged 79, in Cannes for the front-page picture. A lady in red is a reliable option when looking for casual news-stand sales, and SubScribe will never object to an older woman being allowed a moment in the sun.
Best to see her from the front, though. The Times's back view of the Queen at the first Buckingham Palace garden party of the year is slightly odd - one more suited to the old Court and Social page. The same could be said for the two old duffers clutching their station buffet coffees on an empty railway platform who fill half of the Indie's front. But hang on, it's Dave and Boris having a pow-wow. That gives the picture a whole other dimension. And the readers a break from the Euro and council elections and Mr Farage's antics, which dominate elsewhere.
The travails of the health service, Britain's benefits culture and Charles's pop at Putin all find a home and the Express is on weather alert again. But pop story of the day by a mile is Rory McIlroy jilting his bride five minutes after sending out the invitations. Better than waiting til the day, à la Tom Archer, but still not much fun for Caroline Wozniaki, his tennis-playing intended. Everyone (except the Guardian) loves this story, which features in every redtop puff and makes page 3 in the Times, Telegraph and Express. It's all one-sided, since Ms W has wisely chosen not to comment - let the rat drown himself - so we have a "tearful" McIlroy in the Express and a cruel "Why I had to ditch fiancée" in the Mirror. For some reason the Times finds it necessary to give us the Paddy Power odds on his next girlfriend, with Tiger Woods's ex-wife at 275-1 and Pippa Middleton at 100-1.
Give me strength.
Best to see her from the front, though. The Times's back view of the Queen at the first Buckingham Palace garden party of the year is slightly odd - one more suited to the old Court and Social page. The same could be said for the two old duffers clutching their station buffet coffees on an empty railway platform who fill half of the Indie's front. But hang on, it's Dave and Boris having a pow-wow. That gives the picture a whole other dimension. And the readers a break from the Euro and council elections and Mr Farage's antics, which dominate elsewhere.
The travails of the health service, Britain's benefits culture and Charles's pop at Putin all find a home and the Express is on weather alert again. But pop story of the day by a mile is Rory McIlroy jilting his bride five minutes after sending out the invitations. Better than waiting til the day, à la Tom Archer, but still not much fun for Caroline Wozniaki, his tennis-playing intended. Everyone (except the Guardian) loves this story, which features in every redtop puff and makes page 3 in the Times, Telegraph and Express. It's all one-sided, since Ms W has wisely chosen not to comment - let the rat drown himself - so we have a "tearful" McIlroy in the Express and a cruel "Why I had to ditch fiancée" in the Mirror. For some reason the Times finds it necessary to give us the Paddy Power odds on his next girlfriend, with Tiger Woods's ex-wife at 275-1 and Pippa Middleton at 100-1.
Give me strength.
The commentators...on Prince Charles and Putin
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David Aaronovitch (Times) Vladimir Putin can afford to laugh. He is, in effect, both executive and legislator. He is his own head of state. He has had the kind of power in Russia for nearly two decades that no British monarch has had since Charles I. The future King Charles III has no power, except to speak. I'd let him have that.
Edward Lucas (Mail) History may not repeat itself. But, as Mark Twain said, it often rhymes. Recent events are particularly sinister and troubling in the light of European history in the years before World War II. The heir to the throne understands this. But politicians won’t speak about it. Where is our Churchill when we so desperately need him? Joseph Charlton (Independent) Shouldn’t Royals be allowed to conduct private conversations that touch on topical issues? Of course, says Nick Clegg, interviewed by the BBC – monarchs have opinions like anyone else and shouldn’t feel ashamed to express themselves off the record. The real problem for Charles is that such a supine and placid monarch precedes him. |
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Susie Boniface (Express) It is unlikely Putin will behave nicely to please Prince Charles but it is possible that our politicians will be compelled by the increased scrutiny he has turned on them to hoik up their trousers and take firmer action. While he limits himself to the occasional comment with broad popular support, Charles is showing he has more gumption and wisdom than many of our elected representatives. But he can’t do it too often and he does have to stop once he is King.
Peter Mandelson (FT) Europe must be ready to respond vigorously to further destabilisation in Ukraine and elsewhere if this is what Mr Putin chooses, if only for the sake of our own self-respect. But equally, we should not close our minds to a different sort of relationship with Russia should the possibility emerge. This may seem a distant possibility but it is not beyond imagination, especially when the mounting economic cost of Russia’s actions, and the economic sacrifice of its people, force Mr Putin to reflect on the precarious path he is following. |
Wednesday 21 May, 2014
The tabloids put the heavies to flight with a succession of terrific fronts today. The Mirror has found another awful example that encapsulates our divided society. Here we have a young man killing himself because he couldn't cope with all the form filling at the job centre and directly underneath the Times is trumpeting a young man who plays tennis rather well and amassed a £40m fortune. And Andy Murray is far from being our wealthiest sportsman. Not sure if the Sun's £1.2m is accurate, but it's one of the paper's great imaginative fronts. Ditto the Mail, which has engineered an entire front page and turn from an 11-word unguarded remark. Quite right too. On the serious side, the Guardian brings us down to earth with more of the horrors of the Syrian civil war, then it's back to money for the Times and Telegraph. The latter no longer looks serious, just staid.
SubScribe Press review, For richer, for poorer
SubScribe Press review, For richer, for poorer
The commentators on...Richard Scudamore
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Rachel Sylvester (Times) I don't care that Mr Scudamore calls females irrational, but the rest? As a woman it makes me feel more than uneasy if this is what some men really find entertaining. It’s not just a case of growing up: they shouldn’t articulate it, we shouldn’t tolerate it. But we do, obviously; in fact we seem to be increasingly accepting of what men are saying.
Sian Norris (Independent) thinks the word ‘gash’ literally reduces women to a hole. A man who happily exchanges emails where women are dehumanised in this way should not be in charge of promoting equality anywhere – let alone in an already grossly unequal industry. Women footballers – and women everywhere – deserve better than this. Women Premier League footballers and wannabe footballers deserve a boss who sees them as fully human. |
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Stephen Glover (Mail) Though Richard Scudamore has so far been spared disciplinary action over his sexist references in various private emails, it seems the future of the chief executive of the Premier League is not yet assured. The wagons are still circling. And, very surprisingly, sitting on one of them, popping away merrily, is David Cameron. Why did the Prime Minister feel it necessary to offer any opinion on the matter?
Rani Abraham* (Guardian) I would like to think that the publicity over Scudamore will have a knock-on effect on other workplaces, and make sexist bosses think twice about their language and attitudes to women. I fear that maybe the Premier League's decision will send out another signal entirely and bosses will think: "If Richard Scudamore can get away with it, so could I." *Scudamore's former PA |
Excuses, excuses
Being tired makes you racist; hay fever makes you sexist
Plus the rest of yesterday's papers reviewed
Being tired makes you racist; hay fever makes you sexist
Plus the rest of yesterday's papers reviewed
Tuesday 20 May 2014
The Guardian is alone in putting the collapse of Pfizer's takeover bid for AstraZeneca on the front. The Indies are again concerned with house prices and the Express with diabetes. An interesting one this - Miriam Stoppard wrote something similar in the Mirror last week, but it was borne out of a different research project, so maybe there's some truth in it. The Telegraph and Times are surprisingly the only two to go for Abu Hamza's conviction.
The Star should leave Gazza alone; press coverage is not good for his health.
SubScribe Press review
The Star should leave Gazza alone; press coverage is not good for his health.
SubScribe Press review
The commentators...on the European elections
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David Charter (Times) In a parallel universe not far away, an election is taking place to decide our next president. Battle buses are on the move, TV debates being held between the candidates and policies for the next five years proposed. Almost nobody in Britain knows a thing about it. This strange universe is called Europe, but it might as well be the dark side of the Moon. The contest is for the next president of the European Commission — the powerful Brussels body that proposes EU laws and is therefore of huge importance for Britain.
Charlie Brooker (Guardian) Nigel Farage is a bulletproof fusion of novelty and familiarity. Among a crowd of guarded political automatons, he's Mr Novelty, poking his head through the window like a wacky neighbour in a sitcom, breaking the monotony with some side-splitting anti-Romanian slurs. The news can't get enough of him, because in TV terms he adds a bit of colour – ironic considering what he represents. |
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Ross Clark (Express) In spite of the unedifying exchange of insults, this year’s Euro elections have served a useful purpose. They have demonstrated exactly what is wrong with the EU. The Euro elections have been a policy-free zone. There is a very good reason for this. The party campaign teams know full well it doesn’t really make a lot of difference whom we elect to the European Parliament.
Gideon Rachman (FT) Parties of the far right and the far left are likely to win up to 30 per cent of the seats. They will not be able to control the EU’s political agenda. But their gains will panic national governments and send a very negative message to the outside world. Many of the extremist parties in Europe – most notably Marine Le Pen’s National Front in France and Die Linke, Germany’s far left – openly admire Mr Putin. The far right likes the Russian president because he is a nationalist and a social conservative who despises the EU – as it does. |
Monday 19 May, 2014
The economy rules in election week, with house prices and Miliband's plans for the minimum wage tying for point of greatest interest - although house prices probably squeak it, as they make the Guardian's second lead. More weather predictions from the Daily Star, the Mail is back in underscore hell and the Sun has produced what must be the most unappealing page of the year: a pregnant woman, bump exposed, looking sulk, a celeb in a bikini trying to cover up her wobbly bits and Nigel Farage. Would any sane person pick this up from the news stand?
Olivia Colman in green is declared Bafta queen, although the Times can never resist Helena Bonham Carter. She was, the paper says, tipped to win the best actress award "but lost out to Olivia Colman". Which translates as "We wanted glamour and we're not changing for anyone".
SubScribe would have gone for Aaron Paul. There are men in suits - and then there are men in suits.
Olivia Colman in green is declared Bafta queen, although the Times can never resist Helena Bonham Carter. She was, the paper says, tipped to win the best actress award "but lost out to Olivia Colman". Which translates as "We wanted glamour and we're not changing for anyone".
SubScribe would have gone for Aaron Paul. There are men in suits - and then there are men in suits.
The commentators ...on the European elections
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Matt Ridley (Times) As the Ukip campaign ploughs steadily farther off the rails into the anti-immigration bushes, in search presumably of former British National Party voters, it becomes ever easier for small government, classical liberals – like me – to resist its allure.
Boris Johnson (Telegraph) You kip if you want to – the Tories are giving us the first chance to vote on Europe in my adult lifetime. That matters a great deal. |
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Trevor Kavanagh (Sun) While many find the package offered by Farage and Ukip genuinely seductive, others could not care less. They just want to give a kicking to the Tories, Labour and especially the peevish and increasingly shabby Lib Dems. And who can blame them?
Simon Nixon (Wall Street Journal) There is one country where the European elections really do matter. In Greece, the elections will determine the future of the uneasy coalition government. |
Sunday 18 May, 2014
It's Sunday, so there's lots of sex on the agenda - and none of it the cuddly kind. There are police refusing to investigate an MP accused of rape and MPs investigating employers of failing to investigate an asylum centre health worker. Then there is the Premier League declining to take action against Richard Scudamore over his sexist emails. The Mail on Sunday is concerned with both sex and sexuality, while the Sun gives Joey Essex and Amy Willerton some much-needed publicity with tales of their obligatory mile-high romp. Is it possible to romp in an airliner loo?
Away from the sex, the Independent and the Express are both worried about the water. The "peril on British beaches" comes not from sharks, jellyfish or deckchairs that trap your fingers, but from the absence of coastguards. Seems a strong word, since people have been going to the beach for generations without someone "official" to watch over them. For the Sindie the peril comes in the form of a timebomb detonated by cosmetics which, it says, is poisoning fish and contaminating the food chain.
As election week starts, there's a worrying amount of racism and a disproportionate level of publicity for Ukip, which - with no local councils under its control, fewer than 150 councillors across the country and seven MEPs, six of their 13 having left or been kicked out for various reasons. It took a long time for the Press to wake up to the party's rise in popularity, now we seem to have lost all sense of proportion and gone careering off too far in the other direction
See last week's papers here
Away from the sex, the Independent and the Express are both worried about the water. The "peril on British beaches" comes not from sharks, jellyfish or deckchairs that trap your fingers, but from the absence of coastguards. Seems a strong word, since people have been going to the beach for generations without someone "official" to watch over them. For the Sindie the peril comes in the form of a timebomb detonated by cosmetics which, it says, is poisoning fish and contaminating the food chain.
As election week starts, there's a worrying amount of racism and a disproportionate level of publicity for Ukip, which - with no local councils under its control, fewer than 150 councillors across the country and seven MEPs, six of their 13 having left or been kicked out for various reasons. It took a long time for the Press to wake up to the party's rise in popularity, now we seem to have lost all sense of proportion and gone careering off too far in the other direction
See last week's papers here
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