Julian Assange features on the front of most of Wednesday’s newspapers after it was revealed he agreed a plea deal that should see him set free. “Freedom flight” is the Financial Times’s headline next to the image of the Wikileaks founder staring out of the window on a plane to a remote island in the Pacific. The lead story focuses on Labour being “dragged” into the general election betting scandal – after it emerged the party has suspended Kevin Craig, a parliamentary candidate who has admitted betting that he would fail to win in his constituency.
The same photo of Assange features on the Daily Telegraph’s front page, but its lead story centres on remarks made by Scottish Secretary Alistair Jack who reportedly claimed he won more than £2,000 betting on the election date – comments he later described as a “joke” along with a clarification that he had won a much smaller amount on a bet . A quirky Matt cartoon at the foot of the page pokes fun at two police officers racing with full emergency siren on to place a bet after receiving a “tip off”.
Assange also features on the front of Metro, which reports he headed towards London Stansted Airport where he boarded a private charter plane understood to have cost £400,000. Elsewhere, Conservative David Simmonds, Labour’s Wes Streeting, Lib Dem’s Daisy Cooper, Green Party deputy leader Zack Polanski, Reform’s Alex Wilson and former SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford are all pictured following a hustings event hosted by the paper.
The Guardian reports on the “joy” expressed by Assange’s wife Stella and says that she kept the news from their two young sons, just telling them she had a “big surprise” for them . The paper also touches on England’s uninspiring 0-0 draw with Slovenia in their final Euro 2024 match, which the paper says saw the Three Lions “do just enough”.
A sleepy England fan in Cologne is pictured on the top of the Daily Star front page after the below-par performance against Slovenia. “Well that was dull” is the accompanying headline.
“Lacklustre Lions” is the huge headline on the front of the Daily Mail as the paper carries a photo of a beleaguered-looking Harry Kane on the evening England got the job done to top Group C and avoid a clash with the Germans in Dortmund. Underneath, the paper carries an exclusive interview with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer who faces questions from the Mail’s political editor. Starmer insists the party has changed since the last election five years ago.
“We’ll end 8am GP scramble”, is the dominant headline on the front of the Daily Mirror as Sir Keir Starmer and shadow health secretary Wes Streeting are pictured pledging another vow to fix the health care service. TV presenter Eamon Holmes is also pictured on the front of the tabloid insisting he hopes he and Ruth Langsford can still be friends after the pair announced their intentions to divorce last month.
In other domestic news, a smiling King Charles is pictured alongside Japan’s Emperor Naruhito after the monarch welcomed him and his wife to a Buckingham Palace banquet on Tuesday. The event, initially scheduled for 2020 but cancelled because of the pandemic, celebrated economic, diplomatic and cultural ties on the first day of a three-day state visit.
The Daily Express gives the latest on Princess Anne’s condition following her injury over the weekend and it also urges England to “do better” at the Euros. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is pictured on the front of the tabloid, insisting the UK must bring a halt to funding France until small boats are stopped from crossing the English Channel.
The Guardian and the Financial Times carry the same photo of a pensive Julian Assange looking out of a plane window flying to Bangkok ahead of his eventual freedom.
Metro leads with Assange too and says the Wikileaks founder faces repaying £400,000 to the Australian government for use of a private jet which ended his 14-year stay in the UK.
In other news, the Daily Telegraph focuses on the Scottish Secretary Alister Jack’s claim to the BBC, he won money betting on the election – which he later said was a joke, denying he’d placed any such bets in May.
The Times leads on the same development saying there are now concerns the scandal could spiral further before 4 July.
Meanwhile Labour has been getting its election messaging out, with a round of newspaper briefings – including one in the Daily Mirror where the party pledges to scrap the early morning rush for GPs appointments.
Sir Keir Starmer himself has given what the Daily Mail calls a “frank” interview to the paper, in which he admits readers were right to reject Labour five years ago. The current Labour leader says he’s worked ‘ruthlessly’ to change the party since Jeremy Corbyn’s era.
There is also no such relief yet for Gareth Southgate on the front pages with England’s performance and 0-0 draw against Slovenia being described by the Daily Star as “dull”.
Finally, in the Daily Express Nigel Farage urges the UK to end payments to France if its navy continues to escort migrants’ boats across the English Channel.
