PERHAPS UNSURPRISINGLY, BORIS Johnson’s possible bid to return as leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister has dominated the UK papers this morning.
The headlines across the Irish Sea are all focusing on Johnson’s possible leadership bid, as well as former Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s strong lead in garnering Tory support early on.
As the papers went to the presses, Sunak was reportedly on the threshold of obtaining the 100 votes needed from Conservative MPs to stand in the contest. Sunak’s supporters said he had achieved this number last night.
“Tory tribes go to war,” reads the front page of The Guardian, which leads with the growing support for Boris Johnson’s “audacious bid to return to Downing Street”, and how it risked plunging the Conservative Party into “fresh chaos”.
Guardian front page, Saturday 22 October 2022: Tory tribes go to war pic.twitter.com/rprbQi6zqf
— Guardian news (@guardiannews) October 21, 2022
“Sunak races to secure majority of Tory MPs,” says The Daily Telegraph, which goes on to say that the former chancellor was “pushing towards a coronation”, but that support was mounting for Johnson.
The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph:
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) October 21, 2022
'Rishi Sunak races to secure majority of Tory MPs and seal a coronation in leadership contest'#TomorrowsPapersToday
Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4O6L2Y pic.twitter.com/z1dQlryi5g
The Financial Times focuses on the markets response to a possible Johnson leadership bid:
“Investors take fright at prospect of Johnson return as UK premier,” the front page reads.
Just published: front page of FT Weekend, international edition, Saturday 22 October https://t.co/Sev7P9ohc8 pic.twitter.com/KBgNfEI6IO
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) October 21, 2022
The Daily Mail takes an interesting angle, leading with reports that senior Tories were trying to broker a meeting between Johnson and Sunak, in a bid to “end the bloodletting engulfing the party”.
Saturday’s @DailyMailUK #MailFrontPages pic.twitter.com/4WAXNAlT9u
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) October 21, 2022
“Surely.. not again,” leads The Daily Mirror, with a grainy shot of Johnson on holiday.
“Boris Johnson and wife Carrie relax in the Caribbean as he plots a return as PM in a move that could split the Tories,” states the front page.
Saturday's front page: Surely..not again https://t.co/D2Gyj8KsFS #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/u3v76CpniF
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) October 21, 2022
And last but not lea(f)st, The Daily Star has been rooting around the presses for a new vegetable to take centre stage.
Following the success of its Liz Truss vs a head of lettuce publicity campaign, The Star has turned over to that much maligned vegetable (or fruit), the aubergine (Oh-Bo-Gine?)
“They have tossed aside The Lettuce, now they’re serving up… the AUBERGINE,” the front page reads, accompanied by a disturbing image of Boris Johnson’s face inside an aubergine.
“Just when you thought all the salad-based puns had been exhausted, posh aubergine Bozo Johnson has emerged as one of the favourites to replace Lettuce Liz as PM.”
Saturday's Paper: They have tossed aside The Lettuce, now they're serving up... The Aubergine 🍆#TomorrowsPaperTonight pic.twitter.com/My2acWV7Nm
— Daily Star (@dailystar) October 21, 2022
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