Newspaper headlines: Scientists 'not fooled' by PM and 'end knife hell' By BBC News

Staff Published duration 9 August 2019

image copyright REUTERS/Toby Melville image caption Attorney General Geoffrey Cox is understood to believe there is no legal basis to stop Mr Johnson from pushing though a no-deal Brexit

Several papers focus on Jeremy Corbyn's attempt to get Britain's most senior civil servant to rule out the possibility of Boris Johnson forcing a no-deal Brexit in the middle of an election campaign.

The Independent website says there are mounting fears that Downing Street will try to deliver Brexit by 31 October "by any means necessary" - even if Mr Johnson's government has lost a vote of no confidence.

The article adds that the Attorney General, Geoffrey Cox, is understood to believe there is no legal basis to prevent such a departure from the EU, even if there is a general election at that point.

The Brexiteer MP Peter Bone tells the Daily Express that Labour is "clutching at straws"

Writing for the Spectator, James Forsyth is convinced we're heading for a 1 November election. He argues Mr Johnson's camp is willing to "push the constitutional boundaries" so the prime minister would not resign if he lost a no confidence vote in September.

Instead, he would have two weeks to try to put together a parliamentary majority - and if that failed, he would be able to call an election after Britain's official exit date. Mr Forsyth believes Mr Johnson has been preparing for an election from the moment he arrived in Downing Street.

The issue of knife violence gets plenty of coverage after a police officer making a routine check was wounded in east London - but still ensured the suspect was arrested.

The Sun's front page calls him "Britain's toughest cop". The Times reports that attacks on officers rose by 18% to more than 30,000 in the year to March.

One senior officer tells the paper criminals no longer fear the police. The Daily Mirror has pictures of young campaigners who have all been affected by violence. The paper urges Mr Johnson to read their 12-point plan to make our streets safer.

image copyright David Mirzoeff/PA Wire image caption Young people affected by violence have outlined a 12-point plan for the prime minister to make streets safer

The Guardian reports hundreds of Chinese schoolchildren have been illegally drafted in to meet production targets for Amazon's Alexa devices.

The paper says it has seen documents alleging many of the children have been forced to work nights and overtime - in breach of China's labour laws.

The workers are mainly teenagers from schools and technical colleges. Amazon's supplier, Foxconn, admitted students had been employed illegally, but said it was taking immediate action to fix the situation.

And there are plenty of royal photos of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children at a charity sailing event on the Isle of Wight.

image copyright Getty Images image caption This image of Princess Charlotte and the Duchess of Cambridge featured in many newspapers

The Daily Telegraph pictures four-year-old Charlotte sticking her tongue out in what it calls "a departure from royal etiquette".

The Daily Mail shows Prince William apparently amused that his wife is holding a large wooden spoon for finishing last.