What the papers say – February 9
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Fears over Britain’s measures to stop Covid carriers entering the country and various vaccination angles feature on the nation’s front pages.
The Daily Express reports on the “disgrace” of thousands of people having arrived in Britain from “variant-hit South Africa” without being checked for coronavirus.
The Guardian is saying Boris Johnson has been urged to tighten border controls, while also again reporting on the Queen’s influence on Parliament with a story saying more than 1,000 bills have been vetted by the monarch, or Prince Charles, during her reign.
The Financial Times leads on Mr Johnson’s support for the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine despite South Africa suspending its rollout of the jab over doubts about its efficacy against the Covid variant discovered in that country.
The Daily Telegraph reports on word from experts that the South African strain is “not likely to become dominant”.
The Times also carries that story but leads on a warning from Defence Secretary Ben Wallace of a growing risk of chemical and biological attacks as the “world order crumbles”.
People older than 70 who have not yet had their Covid-19 jab are being called on to do so as a matter of urgency, the Daily Mirror and the i report.
And The Independent carries a warning from MPs that the universal credit boost introduced at the start of the pandemic needs to be extended by another year “at the very least”.
Meanwhile, Metro leads on havoc wrought across Britain by snow brought by Storm Darcy.
The Daily Mail reports on a “magnificent” response to its Computers for Kids campaign.
The Sun says Mike Tindall is “claiming furlough cash” for his business despite being worth more than £15 million.
And the Daily Star turns its sights on “missing-in-action” Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, mocking up a front page based on a familiar children’s book under the headline of “Where’s Willi?”
