[Blogs] The Papers: HS2 row and smoking ban for next generation

By BBC NewsStaffImage caption, Saturday's papers carry a range of different stories, with The Times reporting claims that Downing Street is preparing to scrap the second leg of HS2 high-speed rail line. The paper says the PM is on "collision course" with former premiers Boris Johnson and David Cameron over the reported decision.Image caption, The Guardian says Rishi Sunak is considering introducing New Zealand-style anti-smoking measures that would ban anyone born after a certain date from being able to buy cigarettes. The paper says any such move would count among the world's toughest smoking measures and effectively ban the next generation from taking up the habit.Image caption, The i says that British and Russian diplomats have held secret talks since the Ukraine war broke out to try and prevent “nuclear clash and food crisis”. However, the paper says a peace plan has never been discussed.Image caption, The Daily Telegraph says it has seen a letter - written by senior civil servants

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Local Sep 23, 2023 Add to Reading List

[Blogs] The Papers: HS2 row and smoking ban for next generation

By BBC News

Staff

Times - 23/09/23 — Image caption,
Saturday's papers carry a range of different stories, with The Times reporting claims that Downing Street is preparing to scrap the second leg of HS2 high-speed rail line. The paper says the PM is on "collision course" with former premiers Boris Johnson and David Cameron over the reported decision.

Guardian - 23/09/23 — Image caption,
The Guardian says Rishi Sunak is considering introducing New Zealand-style anti-smoking measures that would ban anyone born after a certain date from being able to buy cigarettes. The paper says any such move would count among the world's toughest smoking measures and effectively ban the next generation from taking up the habit.

i front page - 23/09/23 — Image caption,
The i says that British and Russian diplomats have held secret talks since the Ukraine war broke out to try and prevent “nuclear clash and food crisis”. However, the paper says a peace plan has never been discussed.

Daily Telegraph - 23/09/23 — Image caption,
The Daily Telegraph says it has seen a letter - written by senior civil servants and addressed to Cabinet Secretary Simon Case - warning him that trans activists have been able to "embed" their gender ideology in the Civil Service. It urges action to be taken "to ensure that Civil Service impartiality is upheld and freedom of belief is respected".

FT Weekend - 23/09/23 — Image caption,
The Financial Times previews Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Statement, scheduled to take place in November, saying the chancellor will announce an overhaul of Isa rules to make it easier for people to invest in stocks. The paper also covers the growing dispute between India and Canada over allegations that New Delhi was involved in the Vancouver murder of a Sikh separatist.

Daily Express - 23/09/23 — Image caption,
The Daily Express reports that next week's Conservative party conference will see a group of Tory grandees and MPs link up to warn the prime minister that he must "return the Tory party to its traditional values" if it wants to win the next general election.

Daily Mail - 23/09/23 — Image caption,
The Daily Mail carries an interview with the brother with Sudiksha Thirumalesh, the teenager who died earlier this month during a legal battle over her life-preserving treatment. Varshan tells the paper that it is "very important" that the family is able to tell her story, after legal restrictions hiding her identity were lifted.

Daily Mirror - 23/09/23 — Image caption,
The Daily Mirror reports new claims from an FBI expert that an actor who died at a party attended by rock star Pete Doherty in 2006 was thrown off a balcony. The allegations are raised in a new TV documentary.

Sun - 23/09/23 — Image caption,
The Sun focuses on the reported strain in the relationship between the King and Prince Harry. The paper says Prince Harry turned down an offer by his father to spend the anniversary of the Queen's death at Balmoral and chose to stay at a hotel instead.

Daily Star - 23/09/23 — Image caption,
And the Daily Star highlights the fact that King Charles followed a lecture on global warming during his state visit to France with a 300-mile flight on private jet.

Saturday's papers focus on a range of different stories - from HS2 to King Charles' visit to France.

The "next generation may be banned from smoking", says the front page of the Guardian, as part of plans apparently being considered by Rishi Sunak.

Whitehall sources say the prime minister is looking at measures brought in by New Zealand last year, which involve steadily increasing the legal smoking age so tobacco would never be sold to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. A government spokesperson did not comment directly on the policy when asked - but did say ministers wanted to encourage more people to quit smoking.

The Sun reports on reaction to the idea from campaign groups, saying it has got the backing of the anti-smoking charity Ash. The smokers' group Forest has questioned whether the proposal would work, suggesting a crackdown would simply fuel black market sales.

Other papers focus on the government's alleged plan to scrap a leg of HS2. The Times reports that in addition to Boris Johnson criticising suggestions that the government could scale back the HS2 rail line, another former prime minister - David Cameron - has also privately raised concerns about the idea.

The i weekend reports that some MPs believe that Mr Sunak could use a fall in rail passengers due to more people working from home as a way to "justify" axing part of the line. Ministers have said they need to find a way of delivering infrastructure projects that don't cost taxpayers "billions and billions of pounds".

The front page of the Daily Telegraph highlights research into a new weight loss jab that suggests it is twice as effective as its rivals at helping some people to "shed the pounds".

The paper says a study of 18,000 found that those given the treatment tirzepatide, currently licensed for diabetes, lost almost a stone (6kg) more than those given Wegovy - which is currently used by the NHS - when it was administered for at least three months. Health Secretary Steve Barclay is quoted as saying these new weight loss drugs have "real potential to improve the lives of thousands of people living with obesity".

Britain has held diplomatic talks with Russia, since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, reports the i weekend.

In an exclusive piece, the paper says meetings have taken place in locations such as New York and Vienna, and are said to have covered issues such as grain shortages and nuclear safety.

A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed there had been meetings with Russian officials, but said only where it was "deemed absolutely necessary" - and denied claims that the talks were a bid to negotiate the end of the war.

And according to the Times, an amphitheatre created in a farmer's field that was intended to bring Shakespeare to the Cotswolds has been forced to shut after locals complained that the initial promise of a limited number of theatrical performances quickly morphed into a commercial venture dominated by tribute acts. Councillors have now said Berrybank Park must close.