Newspaper headlines: PM told to show Brexit plan and Labour 'reform' By BBC News

Staff Published duration 19 September 2019

image copyright PA Media image caption Emmanuel Macron has "thrown down the gauntlet" to Boris Johnson

The 12-day deadline by the Finnish prime minister for Boris Johnson to declare his new proposals for Brexit makes the front pages of many of the papers.

The Daily Mail says the ultimatum was clearly the work of French President Emmanuel Macron. According to the paper, he's long been frustrated about the time Brexit is taking, but it's not clear whether his strict time limit will be backed by other European leaders.

The Daily Express agrees. Mr Macron has "thrown down the gauntlet", the paper says - issuing a "brutal cut-off date" in an attempt to break the deadlock.

The Guardian points out that a deadline of 30 September would be problematic for the prime minister, as it falls on the eve of the Conservative Party conference.

The paper thinks Mr Johnson would be "wary of showing his hand" at such a sensitive point, given his party's potentially negative reaction to any movement on the backstop.

The Daily Telegraph leads on comments made by the Leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, praising Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage.

During a speech designed to woo Brexiteers back to the Conservative Party, Mr Rees-Mogg described Mr Farage as the "most important political figure" outside Parliament in the past 30 years - and said Brexiteers "owe him a huge debt".

The paper points out that his warm words for Mr Farage come just a week after senior Conservative sources said the Brexit Party leader was "not fit and proper" and shouldn't be allowed near government.

Two former police chiefs have told the Times that the Home Office is manipulating crime figures by omitting thousands of cases of fraud. According to the paper, up to 50,000 legitimate cases of identity fraud are not included in the official statistics every year and criminals are not being pursued.

The former officers, who ran the fraud squad between 1997 and 2008, are accusing ministers of trying to "disguise" escalating fraud rates rather than invest in policing. The Home Office said all cases that are classed as frauds should be recorded as crimes.

image copyright PA Media image caption Nicky Morgan said women's tournaments should be added to the list of sport's "crown jewels"

A call for top-flight women's sport to be given equal billing to men's is reported by a number of papers.

In her first major speech as culture secretary, Nicky Morgan said women's tournaments should be added to the list of sport's "crown jewels" shown on free-to-air television.

The "i" says Ms Morgan wants to "build on the momentum" of the football World Cup, opening women's sport up to a mass audience.

Under the headline "Loch YES monster", the paper says scientists believe the footage, which was posted online, could have captured the real Nessie.