Newspaper headlines: May and Corbyn's Brexit battles By BBC News

Staff Published duration 8 February 2019

image copyright Getty Images image caption Locking horns?

After Theresa May's "robust" talks with senior EU officials in Brussels on Thursday, there's considerable interpretation of the body language in the official poses for handshakes.

The Daily Express says there were frozen stares, while the Daily Mirror reports that everyone was stony-faced.

The HuffPost UK website speaks of "pained expressions", and the Daily Mail of "frosty" encounters.

Daily Telegraph sketchwriter Michael Deacon says that as the prime minister shook hands with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker she glowered at him and lowered her head in the manner of a stag in the rutting season, ready to lock horns.

Meanwhile, the Times says Mrs May got the offer of a handshake from Mr Juncker but little else apart from the promise of another meeting.

Poisoned apple?

Papers also consider Jeremy Corbyn's letter to the PM offering to back her Brexit deal if she accepts five conditions, including a permanent customs union and close alignment with the single market.

The Times says the Labour leader is relying on the fact Mrs May will find it difficult to agree to his plan. A permanent customs union would cross one of her red lines, and pandering to Labour's front bench would infuriate her party.

image copyright PA

For the Spectator website, it could make Brexiteers decide that Mrs May's withdrawal agreement is far better than the form of Brexit that Mr Corbyn is now proposing, and that it would be better to back her deal than end up with something they regard as even worse.

Meanwhile, senior civil servants are apparently working with the Bank of England to draw up plans to kick-start the economy in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

According to the Financial Times, options range from cutting taxes and boosting investment to slashing tariffs.

One Whitehall source is quoted as saying: "It's basically a Doomsday list of economic levers we could pull if the economy is about to tank."

The announcement by the head of Instagram that it's removing all graphic images of self harm from its platform leads a number of papers.

The Guardian says critics remain sceptical that the move will be enough to tackle a problem some believe has grown unchecked for 10 years.

In the Telegraph's view , the government must present parliament with a white paper on social media that doesn't just rely on goodwill and promises, but delivers the tough, comprehensive regulation that governs every other aspect of our economy.

'Death tax'

The Daily Mail says ministers have been accused of sneaking through a stealth "death tax" that will hit grieving families with bills of up to £6,000.

According to the paper, a huge rise in probate charges was effectively waved through Parliament after ministers categorised it as a "fee" rather than a tax - so avoiding full scrutiny.

At present, families pay a flat £215 fee for probate. But, the paper explains, the charge will rise according to the value of the estate.

The Ministry of Justice tells the paper that under the new system, 25,000 more bereaved families will pay no probate fees at all each year.

Festival fears

image copyright Getty Images

Finally, the cancellation of all race meetings until next Wednesday following an outbreak of equine flu brings sport onto the front pages.

The Sun says the horse racing fraternity is praying that the Cheltenham Festival next month doesn't fall victim to the outbreak.

There will be a cost to the betting industry, race courses, jockeys owners and trainers, former jockey and trainer Peter Scudamore points out in the Mail

But he adds: "The cost of not acting and losing control of the situation would have been far greater."

With no meetings in Britain today, the Racing Post urges punters not to despair.