Pressure is mounting on the UK government to act over the cost of living crisis, says the Daily Record, in which former PM Gordon Brown calls for an urgent meeting of disaster committee Cobra and an emergency budget. The Labour veteran has also demanded a recall of Parliament, saying there is a “vacuum” at Westminster with Prime Minister Boris Johnson on holiday.
The SNP leader at Westminster, Ian Blackford, agrees with Mr Brown and also calls for a recall in The National. The MP said Boris Johnson “must come out of hiding” and bring in measures which will tackle the growing cost of living crisis.
The i newspaper claims that Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak’s support pledges will decide who wins the Tory leadership race. But the paper writes that direct payments to households could take three months to implement if the new PM gives the green light.
Penny Mordaunt says in The Herald that Liz Truss wants people to keep more of the money they earn, as she plays down suggestions that there will be no handouts to help struggling families. She suggests Ms Truss’ comments were misinterpreted.
The Scottish Daily Express claims Ms Truss is considering making urgent payments direct to households battling the cost of living crisis. It reports that former leadership rival Penny Mordaunt confirmed the foreign secretary was “looking at other measures”.
The clashing Tory leadership rivals also make the front of The Times over their plans for the economy. The paper quotes a YouGov poll that suggests two thirds of voters believe the government would be wrong to prioritise tax cuts over tackling the cost of living. The paper also reports that Rishi Sunak is to announce his package of support for households.
Former Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson reveals she would be prepared to return to frontline politics in the event of a second independence referendum. Ms Davidson said she would lead the pro-union campaign. The Telegraph says she told an audience member at an Edinburgh Fringe show that she was “the only one who could stand up to Nicola Sturgeon”.
“Brumthing special” in the Metro sums up a Super Sunday for team Scotland which saw eight medals won for the country including gold for Laura Muir and silver for Eilish McColgan. The total surpasses Gold Coast four years ago and marks the team’s most successful games outside of Glasgow 2014. McColgan was announced as the flag bearer for the closing ceremony after her inspiring victory in the 10,000m race last week.
The Scotsman leads with a story claiming this year’s exam results will be valued the same as any other year by business leaders. The paper suggests tomorrow’s Scottish results could reveal a fall in attainment. In-person exams returned this year after pandemic disruption and all students have been sent a letter signed by 18 business leaders committing to create good jobs for young people.
Triumphant athletics pair Laura Muir and Eilish McColgan also make the front of The Scottish Sun but the lead story features claims race-hate killer Imran Shahid was attacked in jail with boiling water. According to the paper, the 45-year-old, convicted for the murder of Kriss Donald in 2004, avoided serious injury.
The top story in the Scottish Daily Mail claims powers designed for use to fight terrorism are being used to “spy on the public” for low-level incidents including littering and vandalism. The paper also claims one local authority had used the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act to investigate Covid breaches.
The family of a Dundee woman who was the victim of an attempted murder tells the Courier of fears the man jailed for the crime will return to “finish her off”. Robbie McIntosh has a parole hearing later, a day after the fifth anniversary of the attack.
A story about a child left home alone makes the front page of the Evening Telegraph, which also celebrates the Commonwealth Games success of local boxer Sam Hickey who snapped up gold in the men’s middleweight final.
Edinburgh councillor Kevin Lang was left shaken after being “grabbed by the throat” while delivering newsletters, but tells the Edinburgh Evening News the attack won’t stop him doing his job. The Liberal Democrat said he had been verbally abused often but this was the first physical attack he had experienced as a politician.
And amid drought warnings and hosepipe bans in England, the Daily Star of Scotland says a water company has “kicked up a stink” by suggesting people stop showering and wash with a flannel instead. “That’s drought of odour,” the paper says.
