Political obituaries for France’s Marine Le Pen dominate many of Tuesday’s front pages, with the Financial Times reporting that her hopes for higher office are now “shattered” by the five-year ban she’s received after being convicted of embezzling EU funds. Barring a successful appeal, this knocks the far-right politician out of the running for the 2027 election, for which the paper says she was considered one of the favourites.
France’s far-right leader is “furious” over on the front page of the Guardian, where the paper reports that Le Pen has called her barring a “denial of democracy”. Below the fold and across the Atlantic, the paper reports, “Trump tariffs likely to hit UK, admits No 10.”
Tariff negotiations with the Trump administration are top of mind over on the Times, which reports on the “challenging” talks UK negotiators had with their American counterparts in recent days. They’d hoped to secure an exemption from Donald Trump’s global trade tariffs – but Downing Street has accepted that the UK will probably face tariffs of up to 20%, the paper reports.
“No free trade without free speech” is how the Daily Telegraph is reporting on one of the possible terms the US president might include for securing a trade deal with the UK. The Telegraph reports that the case of an anti-abortion activist who was banned from holding a sign outside an abortion clinic in Bournemouth is now making international headlines as – in a rare move – the activist’s case was highlighted as “concerning” by the US state department.
“My new rights for workers will help economy,” writes Angela Rayner in an exclusive with the i Paper, which devotes most of its front to the increase in the minimum wage that will come into effect today. The deputy PM has hit back at UK firms, the paper reports, which have been critical of the government’s plans to axe zero-hour contracts and expand sick pay.
A number of household costs – such as the price of energy and water – are also expected to “rocket” because of the start of the new financial year, the Sun reports. The paper takes the opportunity to contrast those rising costs with their story about a TikTok video showing apparent asylum seekers “bragging” about using “free hotels”.
Virginia Giuffre and a car accident she posted about on her Instagram take up the entire front page of the Metro. In her social media post, which included a bruised selfie, Ms Giuffre said that doctors had given her “four days to live”. She is best known for her allegations that Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell trafficked her to the Duke of York when she was 17.
“I’ve got days to live” is how the Daily Mirror reports on Ms Giuffre’s Instagram post – which also includes her bruised selfie. The paper separately highlights a report on disgraced singer Gary Glitter, saying that his bankruptcy is his “victim’s victory”. Because he’s refused to pay £508,000 in damages, lawyers for his victims can now access his assets – including a £2m London home – the Mirror reports.
A “new two-tier justice row erupted” last night after it emerged that police had been told to treat black and white suspects differently, according to the Daily Mail. The paper also leads on a “royal exclusive” with a friend of the Duke of Sussex – who says Prince Harry will feel like “he’s had a finger cut off” in the charity row.
