What the papers say – July 17

Downing Street aspirants and extreme weather dominate the national papers.

What the papers say (PA) (PA Archive)

The headlines deal with couples “romping” in the heat as well as political twists and turns.

Cabinet minister Alok Sharma hints to The Observer that he could quit if the next Prime Minister is “weak” on the net zero agenda.

Boris Johnson will miss chairing an emergency Cobra meeting on the heatwave and will on Saturday host a leaving party, according to the Sunday Mirror.

Daily Star Sunday, meanwhile, points to research predicting a baby boom as “couples romp more when it’s hot”.

Hopeful Tory leader Rishi Sunak pitches in The Sunday Telegraph, The Independent and Sunday Express to Brexit-backers in the party, saying he will get rid of EU rules on financial services and data.

Penny Mordaunt’s record on transgender issues is the focus of the The Sunday Times and the Mail on Sunday, while Sunday People reports the PM-contender is in hot water for accepting donations from climate change sceptics.