Khan and Starmer mark 20th anniversary of 7/7 attacks in London
Daily Express: “As we pay tribute to those who lost their lives, and those whose lives were changed for ever, we must continue to fight extremism in all its malevolent forms. Sadly, you don’t have to look far to see it lurking, whether in the antisemitism meted out under the guise of Left-wing support for Palestine or in the far-Right in the uglier corners of the internet. Either way, danger now presents itself everywhere, in plain sight and behind closed doors. We all have a duty to each other to unite, and speak up against hate and division.”
BBC: “The 7/7 attacks were the worst wake-up call imaginable for the UK’s then-outdated counter-terrorism operations,” writes Dominic Casciani. “Until that day in 2005, the UK’s response to terrorism groups was heavily influenced by the experience of combating the IRA, which organised itself along military lines. Al-Qaeda was also broadly organised in a military way. But the key lesson from 7/7 was that this analogy only went so far. Today, many many more powers are in place. But the threat is more diverse than ever.”
The Daily Telegraph: “These were not terrorists who had arrived from overseas to attack the UK. They were homegrown fundamentalists, led by a Yorkshire-born teaching assistant of Pakistani descent. The revelation led to a great deal of soul-searching about the apparent failure to assimilate into British culture people who were raised here. The destruction of al-Qaeda training camps reduced the bomb-making expertise available to fanatics who now more often use stolen lorries or knives to cause carnage. But the possibility of mass casualty attacks remains.”
What we say: “What began as a day of routine ended as a day of horror. Four men, carrying homemade explosives, had boarded London’s public transport system and carried out the deadliest single act of terrorism in the UK,” writes Megan Howe. “Fifty-two people were killed in the attacks as well as the bombers, and more than 700 people were injured. Twenty years on, the effects of that day still linger — in the memories of survivors, in the grief of victims’ families, and in the fabric of the city itself. Though fear and anxiety lingered in the aftermath, the response from the public and emergency services — both on the day and in the days that followed — was a powerful display of London’s resilience and defiance in the face of terrorism. Commemorating 7/7 continues to send a collective message of unity, courage, and solidarity in the face of fear and violence.”
Vive l’entente cordiale... Macron charms Kate as he makes first UK state visit
The Times: “Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Britain marks an important post-Brexit moment. Beyond the pomp, it acknowledges a mature relationship that addresses problems from the point of view of good neighbourliness, shared threats and joint endeavour. Sir Keir Starmer and Macron have something else in common: they are limping. Their polities under strain, the hard Right gnawing at the centre ground, both lead governments heavily in debt, struggling to deal with bloated welfare systems. It is time to make the entente work again.”
The Daily Telegraph: “Macron sees his visit as the final piece of the UK’s reset with the EU,” writes James Crisp. “The UK has agreed to align with EU plant and animal health rules, becoming a ruletaker from Brussels, and signed away access to UK fishing waters for 12 years. A real war has made the Brexit wars appear insignificant. Britain and France, Europe’s two nuclear powers, can no longer afford to be at daggers drawn.”
The Guardian: “Anti-immigrant sentiment has been, for both leaders, a contributory factor to domestic political woes and falling ratings. But on the world stage Starmer and Macron have responded impressively, and largely in tandem, to the challenges of a new era in which great power rivalry and strongman politics threaten to undermine liberal values.”
What we say: “The fraught issue of small boat crossings will continue to dominate the headlines about this visit,” writes Sophia Gaston. “For many, there are few greater symbols of state failure than an inability to police borders. The issue of migration will naturally draw the Government’s attention as it searches for bilateral wins to sell to a disgruntled population. But it is after Macron returns to France that the hard work will begin.”
Labour grandee suggests bringing in new wealth tax
The Daily Mail: “It should come as no surprise that ministers are now considering a wealth tax to soak the rich. This has long been the ambition of the party’s socialist flank. Implementing wealth taxes would disincentivise people to work hard or build a business. If the Government’s number one priority is growth, as it insists, then this measure would only jeopardise it.”
New Statesman: “If balancing the books in the autumn requires £30 billion, as is widely believed, that therefore means more tax rises, or a break with the fiscal rules,” writes Aaron Bastani. “There is simply no consent within the parliamentary Labour party for substantial reductions to welfare spending.”
What we say: “Sir Keir Starmer’s extraordinary U-turn on welfare reform was going to have inevitable consequences as the Government seeks to balance the public finances. Now the party’s ex-leader, Lord Kinnock, has suggested a two per cent tax on assets worth more than £10 million could help raise about £10billion a year for the Treasury. This would undoubtedly hit London the hardest. If tax rises are on their way or if the fiscal rules are going to be torn up, the PM and his Chancellor should be honest with the British public.”
