The Daily Mail

Owned by: Daily Mail and General Trust, owned by Jonathan Harmsworth, 4th Viscount Rothermere

Editor: Paul Dacre

Political leaning: Right / far right

Daily circulation: circa 1,490,000

Today’s leading headline: March of the GP reception

Today’s Mail sheds light on the news that the NHS is set to trial a new way of receiving patients. Specially trained receptionists will now ask incoming patients a set of questions, and then direct them in the necessary direction. The Mail chooses to frame this negatively, quoting a source as saying the campaign is ‘absolutely ridiculous’.

Afterthought: Every year the NHS spends nearly £2bn on preventable consultations: these include per the Local Government Association:

5.2m for blocked noses, 40,000 for dandruff and 20,000 for travel sickness

Clearly, more needs to be done to stop these avoidable consultations from having to take place. The new trial to introduce trained secretaries to diagnose and direct people before they meet a GP seems a good one.

The Daily Telegraph

Owned by: Telegraph Media Group, owned by Sir David Barclay and Sir Frederick Barclay

Editor: Chris Evans

Political leaning: Right

Daily circulation: circa. 460,000

Today’s leading headline: Boris ‘simple minded’ on Brexit

Cabinet divisions form the lead story in today’s Telegraph. Following May’s speech at the close of last week, and a significant scoop in yesterday’s Times relating to potential leadership battles, tensions have been running high among the Tories. Now allies of Philip Hammond have accused Boris Johnson of being ‘simple minded’ about his approach to Britain’s EU exit. They claim that Johnson ‘fails to see [the] intricacies’, and instead deliberately chooses to simply Brexit. Johnson’s allies fear that the EU negotiations may be ‘hijacked’ by pro-EU MPs — Hammond voted to remain.

Afterthought: It’s been a difficult start to the week for the Tory Cabinet, and particularly for May. Yesterday, Tim Shipman of The Times revealed in an extraordinary scoop details of a near coup on results night in which Rudd, Hammond, Johnson and Davis all floated the idea of staging a takeover. As hit pieces continue to emerge from various right leaning papers, May’s hold over her party seems to dubious. 37% of Tory voters are satisfied with May, per new polling from Ipsos Mori.

The Times

Owned by: News UK, Rupert Murdoch’s company.

Editor: John Witherow

Political leaning: Right

Daily circulation: circa. 446,000

Today’s leading headline: Merkel win eclipsed by resurgence of far right

The Times reports on the result of Germany’s most recent election, which saw Merkel’s CDU party win with 32.8% of the votes. The far right AfD party, which ran an ‘anti-migrant’ campaign, managed to secure 13% of the votes. The party has raised warning signals with its loaded rhetoric including the promise to ‘take our country back’ and ‘lock her [Merkel] up.’ The German newspaper Bild described their shock gain as a ‘political earthquake’.

Afterthought: For the first time since WWII, Germany has a far-right party holding seats. A worrying but hopefully short lived trend.

The Guardian

Owned by: Scott Trust Limited, run by a board with a policy of non-interference.

Editor: Katharine Viner

Political leaning: Left

Daily circulation: circa. 161,000

Today’s leading headline: Merkel’s fourth-term win marred by rise of far right.

Today’s Guardian covers the results of the German election. Angela Merkel, leader of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU), has emerged triumphant with 32.8% of the votes. However, her win has been overshadowed by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party who with 13% of the vote came third, gaining 95 seats. This is the first time since World War II that a far-right party has gained seats in Germany.

Afterthought: With 238 seats out of a possible 598, Merkel’s party will now have to enter into coalition talks with the second place Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), who won 20.5% of the vote giving them 153 seats.

The AfD seats represented in light blue

The obvious worry here for many observers is the increase in far right support, particularly in south east Germany.

The i

Owned by: Johnston Press, whose CEO is Ashley Highfield, significant ties to the BBC

Editor: Oliver Duff

Political leaning: Centre

Daily circulation: circa. 264,000

Today’s leading headline: David Davis: the plan to become PM

Today’s i reports that the Brexit Secretary David Davis is prepared to mount a leadership bid should May be forced from office. The paper quotes anonymous Davis allies as saying he ‘would command greater support in the Cabinet’ … and ‘thinks he would do a better job than her’. Davis, who has consistently polled highest among Tories as a potential leader, assured MP’s ‘that there was no truth in the claim’.

Afterthought: The timing of this article and the quiet nature of this leadership bid is worth noting, for it directly contrasts that of Johnson. For whilst the Forieng Secretary has gone in all guns blazing over the last two weeks, publishing his views on Brexit and releasing scandalous hit pieces against Hammond, Davis has urged his supporters to remain calm. Some observers are pointing towards a deliberate play of hand by both men, who they see as working together behind the scenes.

The Daily Mirror

Owner: Trinity Mirror. Its chairman is David Grigson, formerly the chief financial officer at Reuters

Editor: Lloyd Embley

Political leaning: Left

Daily circulation: circa. 716,900

Today’s leading headline: Tory MP moans: I can’t claim poppy day exes

The Mirror today singles out Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen, who they say complained that “there are huge costs that can’t be claimed”, one of which was regarding poppy day expenditure. Bridgen, who is currenltly fighting a divorce battle in the courts, complained that although he was happy to spend £175 on wreaths for Remembrance Day, the public don’t appreciate how hard being an MP is.

Afterthought: A hard sell.

Financial Times

Owner: The Nikkei, which is based in Tokyo.

Editor: Lionel Barber

Political leaning: Centre

Daily circulation: circa. 193,211

Today’s leading headline: Merkel’s fourth-term victory marred by rise of rightwing AfD

Today’s Financial Times similarly covers Merkel’s victory in the German elections, and the worrying prominence of the right-wing AfD, who gained over 5 million votes. The paper reports that Merkel lost the support of her close evangelical allies — Merkel suggested her party had expected ‘something better’, but remained firm in her belief that the party will succeed.

Afterthought: Merkel’s victory comes as no surprise to observers — the increased support of the far right AfD does. It follows a wave of nationalism across European countries, inflamed by populist and anti-immigrant rhetoric. The AfD has used deliberately incendiary rhetoric throughout its campaigning.

The Sun

Owner: News UK, owned by Rupert Murdoch

Editor: Tony Gallagher

Political leaning: Right / far right

Daily circulation: circa. 1,611,464

Today’s leading headline: I found a migrant in boot of my Nissan

On the same day the AfD gain a foothold in Germany, the Sun produces an account of a man who found an ‘Ethiopian illegal immigrant’ in his car boot.

Afterthought: True to form, the Sun pumps out more generic clickbait.

Final Thought

News shouldn’t tell you how to feel. The news should present facts, and allow you to formulate your own opinion. Regardless of your political affiliation, try and read beyond the headlines that most of these papers push on you, from the left and the right.

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