Defeat for Tory mayor Street and sword ban pledge

BBC News - Staff
The Sunday Telegraph
The papers mainly focus on the latest crop of election results - and in particular Labour winning the West Midlands mayoralty by about 1,000 votes. The Sunday Telegraph says Rishi Sunak's hopes of reviving Tory fortunes had partly rested on expectations that incumbent Tory Andy Street would cling on there. [BBC]
The Sunday Express
The Sunday Express says the Conservative Party is "in panic" after Labour snatched the "top mayor job" in the West Midlands. "We're doomed!" is the stark headline in the tabloid. [BBC]
The Observer
The Observer leads on Sir Keir Starmer demanding Rishi Sunak call a general election without delay. Writing for the paper, the Labour leader says that it is time to release the county from Sunak's "zombie government", following the "disastrous" series of local election results for the Tories. [BBC]
Sunday Times
Mail on Sunday
The Mail on Sunday focuses on a different poll... one about King Charles, that suggests most Britons believe he is doing a good job. The "landmark poll" on the anniversary of the King's coronation also shows an increase in support for the monarchy, the paper reports. [BBC]
Sunday Mirror
"Andrew's Ruin" is the headline in the Sunday Mirror, as the tabloid claims the Duke of York risks being evicted from his home in Great Windsor Park for seemingly neglecting the estate. [BBC]
Sunday People
The Sunday People headlines on a pledge from Labour to swiftly ban swords, following the killing of Daniel Anjorin. The schoolboy was fatally stabbed with a sword in Hainault, London, as he left his home to walk to school. [BBC]
Star on Sunday
And finally the Star on Sunday leads on a ghost story - specifically, it says pop legend Gary Numan was "terrified" after he saw a bloke in 1940s clothing vanish through a wall in the London Underground. Perhaps something for newly re-elected mayor Sadiq Khan to get to the bottom of... [BBC]

The Sunday Telegraph suggests that mayoral election results have dealt a double blow to Rishi Sunak's hopes of reviving Tory fortunes, calling Saturday a 'dire day' for the Conservatives.

The paper says Mr Sunak will attempt to get back on the front foot in the coming week, with a series of announcements on getting people back to work, clamping down on anti-Semitic hate speech, and deporting migrants.

Home Secretary James Cleverley tells the paper he's convinced voters who have "drifted" away from the Conservatives will return in time for the general election.

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer tells the Observer that Rishi Sunak must call a general election without delay after the "disastrous" local and mayoral election results.

The Labour leader says the UK needs to be released from the "purgatory" of Mr Sunak's "zombie government", and that the results showed that people turned out to vote for change.

"We're doomed" is what the Sunday Express has the Tories saying, in its headline.

It says the loss of the West Midlands mayor has deepened Conservative woes, plunging the party into "panic".

For the Sunday Mirror the local elections results couldn't have sent a louder or clearer message - Britain wants the Tories to "pack their bags".

The paper says it is time for change and time for Labour to deliver it.

Away from the elections, the Telegraph reports the US shared evidence with the UK at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic that strongly suggested the virus had come from a Chinese lab leak - and had not just jumped between animals and humans. One former official who worked on the intelligence reports told the paper the evidence was "gobsmacking".

The Sunday Times reveals that a huge investigation into the suspected murders of Afghan civilians by a rogue SAS unit was actually prompted by the squadron's commanding officer.

The unnamed soldier - one of the army's most senior Special Forces officers - reported to police that troops under his command had committed war crimes by murdering prisoners in Afghanistan, it says.

Emails from the ensuing inquiry have now come to light suggesting other senior officers were aware of the killings but failed to report them, the paper says.

And the Sun on Sunday claims that the actor Will Ferrell has bought what it calls a "large stake" in Leeds United Football Club. He's reported to have fallen in love with English football and is keen to bring back the "glory days" to the club.

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