Newspaper headlines: 'Pressure on ambassador' and Queen's 'masterclass' By BBC News

Staff Published duration 10 July 2019

image copyright Reuters image caption The Conservative leadership debate makes the front of many of the newspapers

The Conservative leadership debate on ITV is the focus of many of the newspaper front pages.

The Daily Telegraph says there were "highly personal attacks" by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and his rival Boris Johnson.

Their clashes make the Guardian question whether the two could work together in any future government.

The Daily Mail's Henry Deedes concludes that there was no question that Jeremy Hunt was the winner of the debate , but suggests it will probably not make a "jot of difference".

The Daily Mirror gives Mr Johnson a score of five out of 10 for his performance, saying he "dodged questions and waffled" while Mr Hunt receives six for what the paper calls his "good digs".

Jeremy Corbyn's announcement that Labour would back Remain in a new EU referendum to stop a "damaging Tory Brexit" is strongly criticised by several papers.

On its front page the Daily Express accuses the party's leader of caving in to what it calls a "Brexit betrayal".

The Sun argues he's "ripped up his promise" to respect democracy, while the Times says Labour's new position does not address the possibility of a general election before Brexit and what the party would do then.

According to the Daily Telegraph , Labour MPs in leave-supporting seats have accused Mr Corbyn of handing the next Conservative leader all the ammunition needed to win a snap election.

Elsewhere, the Financial Times reports that the Europhile MPs in Labour fear the policy shift has come too late to win back Remainers who switched to the Lib Dems or Greens.

image copyright PA image caption Jeremy Corbyn's announcement that Labour would back Remain in a new EU referendum is criticised in some of the newspapers

In other Brexit-related news, the Financial Times reports that Mrs May's cabinet has been warned that there is a real risk of all four nations of the UK going their own way in the event of a no-deal Brexit

The prime minister's de facto deputy, David Lidington, has warned that the independence movement in Scotland poses a significant challenge, that support for Plaid Cymru is growing in Wales, and that there was a real conversation in Ireland about a future border poll that could see the north and south reunited.

Teacher payrise

The Guardian examines Sir Richard Branson's plans to list Virgin Galactic as a public company on the New York Stock Exchange.

The paper says the tycoon is competing to become the first business to provide commercial passenger flights in space.

The Telegraph reports that Sir Richard is in talks to build a UK base that could see launches take place on British soil.

The paper reports that a draft deal worth £3bn a year is believed to have been agreed during pay settlement talks.

It adds that outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May had wanted to give schools more but was vetoed by Chancellor Philip Hammond.

Fans of Doctor Who from the 1970s may be interested in a new children's television series, which the Mirror reveals will star K9 - the Doctor's robot dog.

The redesigned metal mutt will apparently appear to have suffered some battle damage from taking part in a space war.