Twelve dead in Channel and ‘Starmer and US at odds’

The headline in the Guardian reads: "Six children among 12 dead after boat 'ripped open' in the Channel". — A variety of stories lead Wednesday’s papers. The Guardian reports that six children and a pregnant woman were among at least 12 people who died after a small boat carrying migrants sank in the English Channel. The paper quotes French officials saying that 70 people are thought to have been on board and that more than 50 were rescued. It adds that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing calls from charities to open safe routes for asylum seekers and calls the incident a “major test” for his government.

The headline in the Mail reads: "How long before the vile smuggling gangs are stopped?" — The Daily Mail also says the incident will “pile pressure” on the government to address the Channel crossings and asks: “How long before the vile smuggling gangs are stopped?”

The headline in the i reads: "Grenfell guilty must now be prosecuted, urge MPs and survivors". — The publication of the final report from the inquiry into the Grenfell fire on Wednesday should be followed by criminal prosecutions, MPs and survivors have told the i. Police have said they need to see the report before pursuing prosecutions and that the scale of the investigation means that no charges will be announced until late 2026. The paper quotes Labour’s Joe Powell, MP for Kensington and Bayswater, calling on the government to “accelerate” prosecutions.

The headline in the Financial Times reads: "Scam reimbursement payouts to be slashed after pressure from fintechs". — The Financial Times says regulators are to scale back a planned new regime that will force banks to reimburse victims of fraud after pressure from ministers and fintech firms. The paper says the ceiling for compensation was going to be £415,000, but that the maximum payout will now be £85,000. It adds that banks argued the higher limit would have provided an incentive for fraud, while smaller fintech firms feared it could put them out of business.

The headline in the Times reads: "Starmer and US at odds over Israel arms sales". — The government’s decision to suspend some arms sales to Israel has placed it at odds with the US, according to the Times. A government source tells the paper that the US privately warned Britain against the decision, arguing it could damage attempts to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza. The Foreign Office responds that it does not recognise that “characterisation” of talks with the US and other allies.

The headline in the Express reads: "Dog walker, 80, 'killed by child in park crash'". — The Daily Express leads with the news that a 14-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of 80-year-old Bhim Kohli. Police have said Mr Kohli succumbed to a neck injury after being attacked in a Leicestershire park on Sunday. The paper reports that Mr Kohli was a grandfather and that he was walking his dog at the time of the alleged attack.

The headline in the Mirror reads: "Dog walker attack: 'Murdered' by a kid 30 seconds from home". — Mr Kohli was just 30 seconds from his home when the alleged attack took place, according to the Daily Mirror. The paper also quotes a friend who says Mr Kohli was a “lovely guy”.

The headline in the Metro reads: "TV Kyle threw my dad under the bus". — The Metro reports that the son of a man who is believed to have taken his own life after appearing on the Jeremy Kyle Show in 2019 has told an inquest that Mr Kyle “threw him under the bus” by egging the audience on to boo him. Steve Dymond, 63, had gone on the show to deny cheating on his ex-partner but during the episode failed a lie detector test. Son Carl Woolley told the inquest his father felt he had been “made out to be a baddie”.

The headline in the Star reads: "Mafia mobsters turn their backs on Italy & America... and move to leafy Woking". — And the Daily Star says Mafia mobsters have “moved away from their traditional homes” in Italy and America and “taken up residence in leafy suburban towns” like Woking.

A variety of stories make the headlines in Wednesday’s papers.

The Guardian leads on the deaths of 12 people after their small boat sank in the Channel. It says charities are demanding the government open more safe routes for migrants. The Refugee Council tells the paper that heightened security on French beaches has led to increasingly perilous crossings, and more humane pathways are needed for those seeking refuge.

The Daily Mail says the disaster will pile pressure on the government to halt the crossings. Its headline asks: “How long before the vile smuggling gangs are stopped?”

The Daily Telegraph reports that the housing secretary and deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, is considering scrapping the Right to Buy policy for newly built council homes in England. Under the plans, the discount offered to existing tenants would be cut, the paper says, after councils warned that the scheme was burning a hole in their budgets. Any proposed changes would go out to consultation in the autumn. The Ministry of Housing tells the Telegraph it’s working to reverse the decline in the number of social rent homes.

Several papers lead on the arrest of a 14-year-old boy on suspicion of murder after an 80-year-old dog walker was attacked in a park in Leicestershire. The Daily Mirror says Bhim Kohli was 30 seconds from his front door when the alleged assault happened. The leader column in the Daily Express says the nation is “united in horror” over Mr Kohli’s death.

The Times claims that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is at odds with Washington over the UK’s decision to suspend some arms sales to Israel. American officials are quoted saying there’s been no determination by the US that Israel has violated international humanitarian law. A UK government source tells the paper that US figures privately warned against the move. The Foreign Office says it doesn’t recognise that characterisation.

PA An aerial view of terraced housing and a block of flats in west London. — The government is considering scrapping the Right to Buy policy for newly built council homes in England, according to the Daily Telegraph

The Financial Times reports that regulators are set to scale back a scheme to reimburse victims of fraud. According to the paper, the maximum compensation that banks would have to pay is to be lowered from the proposed level of £415,000 to £85,000.

The paper says there was concern from ministers and the industry that criminals would exploit the higher threshold, potentially putting smaller firms out of business. The watchdog, the Payments Systems Regulator, declined to comment.

The Guardian reports that scribbled notes by Lucy Letby that were used to help convict her of the murders of seven babies were made as a result of counselling she received for stress. They contained phrases including “I am evil I did this” which were used by prosecutors to build their case. The paper says Letby was advised during therapy sessions to write down any troubling thoughts. An academic specialising in serial killers tells the Guardian the notes are meaningless as evidence.

Yesterday’s announcement by the Scottish government of £500m worth of cuts is the main story for a number of Scottish papers. The Daily Record says NHS and social care spending will be slashed as part of “brutal” efforts to fill a £1bn black hole. The Scottish Daily Mail says the cuts are being made in spite of the SNP setting the highest income tax rates in the UK.

Thiru Venkatam: Author

Thiru Venkatam is the Chief Editor and CEO of www.tipsclear.com, with over two decades of experience in digital publishing. A seasoned writer and editor since 2002, they have built a reputation for delivering high-quality, authoritative content across diverse topics. Their commitment to expertise and trustworthiness strengthens the platform’s credibility and authority in the online space.