Speculation over whether Donald Trump will order US strikes against Iran dominates Thursday’s papers. The Metro dubs it “ArmagedDon” and reports that Iran has threatened the US with “irreparable harm” if Trump approves attacks on nuclear sites. The paper also quotes Trump’s warning to Tehran that “next week is going to be very big – maybe less than a week”.
Trump “keeps world waiting” is how the Guardian sums up the situation. The US president told reporters “I may do, I may not” when asked about the US joining Israel’s campaign against Iran.
The Financial Times says the US “holds the key” to any strike capable of destroying Iran’s underground nuclear sites, a reference to its arsenal of huge missiles capable of piercing the ground to reach subterranean targets. Elsewhere, the FT says the US has issued the UK a national security warning over plans to involved a Chinese firm in a major wind turbine development.
The Sun describes the ongoing diplomatic stand-off between Washington and Tehran as “war of the words”. Also pictured is Jodie Comer at the premier of the much-anticipated 28 Years Later film.
The Times says the UK is weighing whether to provide the US with military support in the event Trump decides to strike Iran. The PM called a meeting of the Cobra crisis committee on Wednesday amid mounting concerns that the UK could be dragged into the conflict.
Attorney General Lord Hermer has warned Sir Keir Starmer that UK involvement in a US attack on Iran “could be illegal”, reports the Daily Telegraph. Sharing the front page is a photograph of the mother of the Princess of Wales, Carole Middleton, at Royal Ascot on Thursday.
The i leads on another defence story, reporting that the UK is pushing to delay Nato from asking its members to rapidly ramp up spending. Both the military alliance’s chief Mark Rutte and Trump favour setting a 5% target for members. The UK reportedly wants that target to be pushed back to 2035 from 2032.
The welfare bill is “on course to rocket by £18bn a year” according to the Daily Mail. The paper says that without reform, spending on benefits could rise to more than the “entire police budget”.
The Daily Mirror says there is “fury at welfare reforms” and quotes campaigners who say restricting access to personal independence payments could be “catastrophic” for disabled people.
The Daily Express leads on an interview with Dame Esther Rantzen’s daughter, who has urged MPs to support the assisted dying bill and “give us choice over our deaths”. Dame Esther has be a long-time campaigner for assisted dying to be introduced in the UK.
And finally, the Daily Star reports that spectators have “blasted” Royal Ascot bosses after bins were dumped near a statue of jockey Frankie Dettori.
The Times says the UK government is weighing up whether to provide the US with military support if President Donald Trump decides to bomb Iran. It claims a “range of scenarios” have been discussed by ministers, with a “limited offer of support” considered to be the most likely decision.
The Daily Telegraph says the attorney general has warned Sir Keir Starmer that UK involvement in a US strike on Iran could be illegal. Lord Hermer is understood to believe that Britain should limit its role to protecting allies from an attack.
The Daily Mail highlights figures published by the government yesterday, which suggest that spending on sickness and disability benefits is on course to rise by £18bn a year if MPs fail to back proposed reforms to the welfare system.
The Daily Mirror says charities have expressed alarm at planned cuts to personal independence payments, warning they will be “catastrophic” for disabled people. Ministers insist the move will save £5bn and help more people back into work.
Several papers use their leader columns to criticise the latest delay to the opening of the HS2 high speed railway. The Sun warns that Britain is now a “global laughing stock” when it comes to major projects, while the Times calls HS2 “the white elephant that tramples all others in the herd of Britain’s infrastructure disasters”. For the Guardian, lessons must be learned, including “embracing greener construction, tighter cost control and democratic engagement”.
A warning that the use of Chinese technology in North Sea wind farms could pose a national security risk is featured by the Financial Times. It says the White House has told UK officials that wind turbines made by China could house electronic surveillance equipment. The government said it would “never let anything get in the way of our national security”.
The Daily Express says the daughter of Dame Esther Rantzen has urged MPs to back the assisted dying bill when it returns to the Commons tomorrow. Rebecca Wilcox has told the paper that giving people choice over their deaths would be a wonderful 85th birthday present for her mother, who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
