Britain’s worsening coronavirus crisis presents a truly bleak midwinter outlook on the front pages with focus split between Europe shutting its doors to Britons and the threat that severe restrictions on everyday life could last for months.
The Times is in the former camp and leads with “Europe shuts door on Britain”, detailing the decision by European countries such as Germany, the Netherlands and France to ban the entry of travellers from the UK.
Monday’s front page: Europe shuts door on Britain #scotpapers #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/N5Y9J2gbOv
— The Times Scotland (@thetimesscot) December 20, 2020
The Guardian leads with the travel ban story under the headline “Nations ban travel from UK as new strain of virus takes hold”, noting the potential chaos created by France’s decision to ban not just passengers but all human-handled trade for 48 hours.
It reports that the Road Haulage Association has warned that will have a “devastating effect” on supply chains already badly affected by the delayed Brexit talks, and will cause even longer delays at Channel ports.
The Telegraph also leads with “UK hit by virus travel ban across Europe”, noting that France has taken the lead in the restrictions, and the i says “Europe imposed UK travel bans over new Covid strain fears”.
The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph: 'UK hit by virus travel ban across Europe' #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/2MF1vlNhUZ
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) December 20, 2020
With the Brexit talks still deadlocked amid rising Anglo-French tensions, the Sun zeroes in on the France angle with the headline “French show no merci”. A picture of Emmanuel Macron identifies the villain of the piece for what the paper says in the chance of “Xmas supplies chaos”.
Tomorrow's front page: Britain faced with vaccine and food delays after European ban on travel from the UK https://t.co/GiK5GmVopE pic.twitter.com/GzS0qN9mXo
— The Sun (@TheSun) December 20, 2020
The Mirror headline writers draw on their GCSE history lessons and a 19th century epithet for the Ottoman empire for the paper’s headline on Britain’s plight: “Sick man of Europe”. Its story highlights calls by Labour leader Keir Starmer for Boris Johnson to apologise to the country for reversing the government’s advice about Christmas gatherings.
MIRROR: Sick man of Europe #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/AAZJme6LcD
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) December 21, 2020
Other titles prefer to focus on the awful prospect of lockdown lasting well into the new year. The FT takes Matt Hancock’s shocking assessment of the situation in the UK for its headline: “‘Out of control’ Covid 19 variant means curbs will stay for months”.
FINANCIAL TIMES: ‘Out of control’ Covid 19 variant means curbs will stay for months #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/UAguyXsCmJ
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) December 20, 2020
A secondary story in the Telegraph says “Tier 4 may remain in place until Easter”, although the Express splash headline reckons it’s not going to be as long: “Millions face lockdown misery for two long months”.
Tomorrow's front page: 'Millions face lockdown misery for two long months' https://t.co/yqQFhQaJxJ#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/uLIOLfYS63
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) December 20, 2020
The Mail weighs in with “The worst Noel and agony set to last months!”, while the Star says “What a load of baubles” in one of its now-customary savagings of what it sees as the government’s incompetence, with the hapless health secretary depicted as Coco the Clown.
Monday's @DailyMailUK #MailFrontPages pic.twitter.com/dnCI82r8Ft
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) December 20, 2020
Tomorrow's front page: 'What a load of baubles' https://t.co/WiTDRZodnO#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/uh4TH2s7B8
— Daily Star (@dailystar) December 20, 2020
The Scottish papers have a different perspective. The Daily Record headline reads “Fortress Scotland” in reference to the ban on travel to England, and the Scotsman says “Border police patrols double after travel ban”.
Scotland is self-isolating with strict border controls in
— The Daily Record (@Daily_Record) December 20, 2020
a bid to crush the new
coronavirus super strain #tomorrowspaperstoday @hendopolis pic.twitter.com/tTHP8ZI0kY
The Herald leads with “Tiers may face axe as new Covid strain ‘too infectious’”.
