What the papers say – November 21

The fallout from the Covid inquiry features alongside a variety of stories in Britain’s newspapers.

What the papers say (PA) (PA Archive)

The UK Covid Inquiry and the upcoming autumn statement dominate the front pages of Tuesday’s newspapers.

The Daily Telegraph says Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will use the autumn statement to start a “Thatcherite tax-cutting drive” in an attempt to regain support, while The Times reports he will aim to force more benefit claimants to look for work.

Mr Sunak has promised tax cuts and they could come as soon as Wednesday, according to the Metro and Daily Express.

The Daily Mirror, The Independent and the i lead with the fallout from the Covid inquiry, with then chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance reading diary entries he wrote during lockdown in 2020, stating Boris Johnson allegedly argued for letting Covid “rip”.

An interview with Volodymyr Zelensky leads The Sun, the Ukrainian president saying Russia has tried to assassinate him “five or six times”.

Meanwhile, The Guardian relays a warning from the United Nations that the world is on track for a “hellish” 3C rise in temperatures.

The Financial Times continues its coverage of the turmoil at OpenAI with a staff revolt adding more pressure on the board to reinstate chief executive Sam Altman.

And the Daily Star continues a back and forth with scientists, this time claiming “it is ok to call a boffin a boffin”.