Newspaper headlines: Failing police 'rumbled' and coronavirus fears rise By BBC News

Staff Published duration 7 February

image copyright Li Wenliang image caption Li Wenliang contracted the virus while working at Wuhan Central Hospital

The Daily Telegraph and the Times both lead on a watchdog's warning that the public is giving up on the police solving crimes.

The Inspector of Constabulary, Matt Parr, tells the Times that the small number of people being charged for some crimes "chips away at public confidence in the police".

In its editorial, the Telegraph suggests the police focus less time on domestic abuse, malicious communications and online fraud and more on theft and burglary.

The Daily Mail blames a decline in stop-and-search, unanswered 999 calls and what it calls "soft touch courts."

The death of the Chinese doctor, Li Wenliang, who was silenced when he first tried to raise the alarm about coronavirus is reported in several papers.

The Guardian says it has triggered "grief and anger" on Chinese social media.

The Times suggests he had become "a national hero."

Here, the papers says health chiefs are preparing for a significant increase in cases. They'= are extending testing from one centre to 12 labs.

The Independent website warns that Boris Johnson is set to "trigger a cronyism row" after nominating the billionaire Conservative party donor and Brexit backer Peter Cruddas for a peerage.

Both papers refer to to a Sunday Times undercover investigation in 2012 in which he was apparently recorded offering access to David Cameron in exchange for more than £200,000 in donations.

Mr Cruddas denied wrongdoing but lost a libel action on appeal.

Several papers including the Daily Mirror report that 2,000 pensioners are having their applications for care at home rejected every day.

The paper blames "Tory cuts" for the number of people being turned down for help with washing, getting up, dressing and eating.

The Daily Mail notes that the government had promised social care reform in its first 100 days, but, with more than half that time gone, there have been no signs of movement.

The Daily Express says Boris Johnson should make it his "next task."

image copyright AFP

For its front page story, the Daily Express reports that Prince Andrew has put off accepting a promotion to the rank of Admiral "for the sake of the Queen".

The paper praises the move, in its editorial, as being the "right thing".

The Express's royal correspondent, Richard Palmer, stresses that the prince has not been charged with any offence in relation to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, but has been "convicted in the court of public opinion". He suggests the decision was taken on the advice of the Queen's senior courtiers.

Finally, a heated row has broken out in the Channel Islands, according to the Daily Mail and the Times

For decades Jersey has claimed to be the sunniest place in the British Isles.

But Guernsey is now claiming the title, having compared the hours of sunshine recorded by the Met Office at each island's airport last year.

image caption Is Guernsey now the sunniest place in the British Isles?

Jersey ups its sunshine tally with figures from another weather station. The Guernsey Press objects, saying it is cheeky to use the high up station.