Newspaper headlines: General election murmurs and TV licence pleas By BBC News

Staff Published duration 17 July 2019

image copyright PA Media image caption Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt have staged various hustings and debates as part of the Tory leadership contest

Allies of Boris Johnson tell the Times that planning is under way to hold a general election as early as next summer - because they believe Labour is in "no fit state" to fight a contest.

A member of Mr Johnson's team says there is a desire to "get this done" while Labour is divided under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.

They are reportedly planning a recruitment and funding drive for the Conservative Party's campaign machine, in anticipation of a vote.

Several papers highlight yesterday's fall in the value of sterling, after comments by the two Conservative leadership contenders were perceived as increasing the risk of a no-deal Brexit.

City AM says Jeremy Hunt and Mr Johnson's pledges to abandon the Irish backstop dragged the pound to a two-year low against the dollar.

The Financial Times quotes an EU diplomat who says Mr Johnson is living in a "fantasy world" if he thinks Brussels will accept the policy.

City AM says markets were spooked further after it was reported Mr Johnson was considering shutting down Parliament in October, to prevent MPs from blocking a no deal. Friends of Mr Johnson tell the FT that is untrue, insisting: "We want a deal."

The Guardian examines Mr Johnson's record as mayor of London.

Former colleagues tell the paper he ignored expert advice about a string of high-profile projects that left taxpayers with a billion-pound bill - such as a fleet of new buses widely criticised for being too hot.

"He could be incredibly profligate for the country," says one, concluding: "He's great on rhetoric but lousy on delivery".

The Daily Mail publishes a list of demands for the next prime minister, with the aim of stopping what it calls the "scandalous injustice" of families having to sell their homes to pay for dementia care.

The Mail says it is an issue affecting millions and in a further insult, many then effectively subsidise council-funding places in residential homes.

The paper wants a cross-party group set up to tackle the problem, with all funding options under consideration.

The Daily Telegraph 's main story is the launch of a government review into what the paper says is the "arbitrary practice" of councils making people pay to dump waste at rubbish tips.

image copyright Getty Images image caption Charges for dumping waste could lead to more fly-tipping, the Telegraph's story says

The Telegraph says 47 local authorities now insist on charging for the disposal of items including boilers, pond liners and bags of rubble - for fees of up to £20.

Councils tell the paper they are under no obligation to accept non-household waste, but campaigners worry the charges could increase fly-tipping.

Dame Helen Mirren calls for a re-think of the decision to scrap the blanket provision of free TV licences for over-75s, on the front of the Daily Express

image copyright Getty Images image caption Dame Helen has led calls to reverse a decision which means up to 3.7 million pensioners must begin paying for their licence fee

She's one of a number of stars who have signed a letter to that effect, according to the paper, including Angela Rippon and Sir Lenny Henry.

And the Daily Mirror highlights a similar plea from a 101-year-old woman, who says it is the only comfort she has left.

In a letter to the next prime minister, Elsie Hancock says charging for the licence will cause loneliness, and asks: what are you going to take off us next?

The BuzzFeed News website reports that hundreds of children who have been trafficked to Britain are at risk of deportation, despite the government's claim to be a world leader in tackling modern slavery.

image copyright Science Photo Library image caption BuzzFeed says an alarming number of child victims of modern slavery in the UK are at risk of deportation

A Freedom of Information request by BuzzFeed has found the Home Office rejected hundreds of "leave to remain" claims by child slaves, in the year to April 2018.

A Vietnamese girl describes to BuzzFeed how she was raped by her traffickers, arrested at a nail salon in Manchester, and then told she would have to return home even though she had been recognised as a victim of modern slavery.

In response the Home Office tells BuzzFeed it is committed to helping victims get the support they need, although it acknowledges there is more that can be done.

The Times reports on the steps theatre staff are taking to protect themselves from increasingly aggressive behaviour by audiences at West End shows.

Industry sources cite the example of Dirty Dancing, where a performer apparently had to stop making an entrance through the stalls because of groping by hen parties.

To combat the rowdy crowds, ushers have been wearing body cameras, according to the paper.