Theresa May’s misery at being pushed to set a timetable for her departure as prime minister, is the lead story on many front pages.
“May ends in June” is the solid pun attempt from the Mirror, which reported that the prime minister was “left in tears yesterday after being forced to announce a date to finally quit” while the country was “in tears” at the “dreaded prospect of Boris Johnson becoming PM”.
Tomorrow's front page: May ends in June #tomorrowspaperstoday https://t.co/GPMpO8KdNF pic.twitter.com/5fO7aoGYsP
— Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) May 16, 2019
Many of the papers were struck by May’s emotional response to the day’s events.
The Telegraph’s headline is: “Tory ‘men in grey suits’ tell tearful May her time is up”, with the paper saying the “prime minister’s fate is sealed in hour-long meeting with senior MPs who want to elect her replacement before summer recess”.
Friday’s Daily TELEGRAPH: “Tory ‘men in grey suits’ tell tearful May her time is up” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/u7tI014yIf
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) May 16, 2019
The Times reports “May pleads for time as Johnson targets No 10”, saying the prime minister “resisted calls to set a departure date from No 10 during a ‘tense and emotionally charged’ meeting”.
Friday’s TIMES: “May pleads for time as Johnson targets No 10” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/VJ3vjurE7D
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) May 16, 2019
The Mail focuses on the contender for the top job. “Boris shows his hand”, says the paper. “I’m going for it” the paper quotes Johnson as saying in what it calls a “dramatic bid for No 10”. “Dramatic” feels an odd choice of adjective, “completely unsurprising” or “ very well presaged”, might be better.
Friday’s Daily MAIL: “Boris Shows His Hand” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/RA2IJz8v7Q
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) May 16, 2019
The i has a quote from Johnson that says it all: “‘Of course I’m going to go for it.’” The paper’s headline is: “Johnson: make me your prime minister”.
Friday’s i - “Johnson: make me your prime minister” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/I545MccqdI
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) May 16, 2019
The FT says: “May to set timetable for No 10 exit after June vote on withdrawal bill” saying that a fourth defeat on her Brexit bill is “expected”, meaning the countdown to the leadership race begins.
Friday’s FINANCIAL TIMES: “May to set timetable for No 10 exit after June vote on withdrawal bill” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/wDycg8SkIC
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) May 16, 2019
May agreeing to set a timetable for her departure from the top job (“Countdown to end of May’s time as prime minister”) features on the Guardian’s front page but top billing goes to an exclusive from Middle East correspondent Martin Chulov: “Iran tells militias to prepare for proxy war in Middle East”. The picture slot is given to a story about the death of university student Natasha Abrahart.
Guardian front page, Friday
— The Guardian (@guardian) May 16, 2019
17 May 2019: Iran tells militias to prepare for proxy war in Middle East pic.twitter.com/QooEP6bPVD
The Express doesn’t mention Johnson or May on the front page, instead leading on a campaign by a mother whose child has cystic fibrosis: “Give children drugs to keep them alive,” it says.
In tomorrow's @Daily_Express
— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) May 16, 2019
- Give children the drugs they need to keep them alive #cysticfibrosis
- Old enemies remember Monte Cassino
- Rocketmania as Elton's movie magic at #Cannes2019 #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/Le9xLC5TYB
The Sun features a small story about the leadership spat under the headline “Month longer for PM”, but leads on a story labelling navy leaders a “bunch of anchors” for sacking a navy “hero” over misuse of a car.
Tomorrow's front page: HMS Queen Elizabeth's captain has been sacked for "misusing" its official car https://t.co/yuYDd56bQz pic.twitter.com/YQrre8fGRT
— The Sun (@TheSun) May 16, 2019
