What the papers say – July 22
A variety of stories feature across Saturday’s front pages.
Saturday’s newspaper front pages are led by reaction to Friday’s results from three by-elections.
The Guardian leads with “shattering defeats” for the Tories, after Labour overturned a 20,000 majority to win the Selby and Ainsty by-election. The Conservatives also suffered defeat in Somerton and Frome, but held on to Boris Johnson’s old Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is preparing to launch a “more aggressive” political campaign in the wake of the results, according to The Times.
Meanwhile, The Telegraph, FT Weekend and Daily Mail report senior Tories have urged the PM to abandon “key net zero pledges” in an effort to return to “true blue” ways.
The Daily Express carries comment from Mr Sunak, who has vowed to “double down” on his plans for Government.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is “ready for power”, according to The Independent.
Elsewhere, the Daily Mirror urges Britons to get behind the Lionesses’ Women’s World Cup campaign, which gets underway on Saturday morning.
The Sun leads with “getaway chaos” as holidaymakers are hit by mammoth delays.
And the Daily Star says a US Pentagon chief has admitted he is afraid of a “technical extra-terrestrial surprise”.