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• Thu Jun 26 2025

Starmer 'in denial' and 'from Russia with shove'

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is "in denial" about the scale of Labour MPs' welfare rebellion writes the Guardian. Some cabinet ministers "are now said to believe the welfare reform bill has no chance of passing in its current form", it adds. Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte grins at US President Donald Trump in a photo captioned "who is the daddy?" with the paper describing the pair's "budding bromance" - Rutte called the president a "daddy" after the US bombed Iran's nuclear facilities.

Trump and Starmer look stony-faced as other world leaders grin around them in a group photo from the Nato summit splashed across the FT's front page. Each country in the group has pledged to "meet Donald Trump's demand" to spend 5% of its GDP on defence. In other front page news for the FT one "leftwinger's bid to be New York mayor" has spurred a "Wall St hunt for a moderate rival". Democratic candidate Zohan Mamdani has "unexpectedly clinched the party's nomination" and financiers were "discussing who to back as a centrist candidate" within hours.

Starmer is "set to back down on benefits", reports the Daily Telegraph, "as Labour rebellion grows". More than 120 Labour MPs have now signed an amendment to block the cuts to disability and sickness-related payments. The Labour government also "wants to call time on adverts for alcohol" ahead of the watershed. Further from home, "Trump vents his fury at 'scum' who leaked Iran bombing intelligence". A report from the US Defense Intelligence Agency "suggested Iran's nuclear programme had not been destroyed, but set back by only a few months".

The PM is "ready to retreat on benefit cuts to end rebellion" writes the i Paper, echoing the Telegraph. In an exclusive for the paper, it also carries an interview with Leon Panetta, the former head of the CIA. "I ran the CIA - Trump is making scary mistakes," he is quoted as saying.

The Times runs with "rebel MPs want 'regime change'". An MP the paper describes as a "ringleader" tells the Times they "hoped the revolt would lead to a clear-out of staff in Downing Street". The unnamed source added they think the PM "needs fewer over-excitable boys on his team". Also on its front page, "US officials to visit Iran for talks on nuclear programme". Trump announced the talks at the Nato summit.

The Sun's lead story headlines on "from Russia with shove", reporting the claim Vladimir Putin "is pushing migrants to the UK to overwhelm border defences and sow division". The claim comes from an unnamed security source. Security Minister Dan Jarvis is quoted saying "national security is the first duty of any government and that means securing our borders".

In a showbiz exclusive, the Daily Star says "it's call over" for Call the Midwife as the programme ends "after 15 years with blockbuster film".

The Daily Mirror reports "ten people have died after they reported a severe side effect of weight loss injections". A new study will be led by Prof Matt Brown, who tells the Mirror "like all medicines, there can be a risk".

The Daily Mail's front page is taken up with the launch of a new campaign to keep the Legacy Act in place, legislation brought in by the last Conservative government. The law relates to the Troubles in Northern Ireland and offers conditional amnesties for some participants in the conflict. It has been criticised by unionist and nationalist parties in Northern Ireland, and Labour has committed to repealing it.

The Express leads on a story about a group of nurses in Darlington challenging their health trust's policy over allowing a trans colleague to use the female changing rooms at work.

The potential backbench rebellion over the government's proposed changes to welfare is the main news in the Times, which says "Rebel MPs want regime change".

The paper says some Labour MPs and ministers see changes to Sir Keir Starmer's inner team, described as "over-excitable boys", as the price for securing their backing for the government's plans.

The Guardian says the prime minister is "in denial" about the scale of the problem on his hands in next Tuesday's vote.

According to the i Paper, concessions to the likely rebels are being worked out inside Downing Street.

The Daily Express reports the prime minister's insistence that the row will not drive him from Number 10.

Analysis in the Daily Telegraph shows the capacity for the row to have an impact at the next general election.

Fifty-one of the MPs considered likely to vote against the existing government plans have majorities which are smaller than the number of Pip claimants in their constituency.

The paper reports that the arithmetic may make it impossible for the Downing Street to convince dozens of rebels to support its plans, under any circumstances.

"Stop Labour's betrayal of our SAS heroes" is the front page headline in the Daily Mail.

The paper wants ministers to U-turn on their pledge to repeal the previous government's Legacy Act, which protects some Northern Ireland veterans from historical prosecution.

The Sun claims Russia is providing fake documents, transport and military escorts to people-smugglers who co-ordinate Channel crossings.

A security source has told the paper president Vladimir Putin sees the issue as an opportunity to "cause disruption and destabilise".

The way the Nato chief, Mark Rutte dealt with President Trump at the summit in the Hague attracts much attention.

The Daily Mirror describes his decision to call Trump "the daddy" as "toe-curling", "bizarre" and "cringe".

The Times labels Rutte the "Trump-whisperer", while the Guardian calls their relationship a "budding bromance".

The Daily Star claims a showbiz exclusive with a shock front page report that the BBC is ending its popular Sunday night series, Call the Midwife.

It says the programme is to end after one more series, the 15th, and what it calls a "blockbuster" movie.