Paper review: 'Desperate' national service plan and 'soggy bottom Monday'
BBC News - Staff
For a second day, many front pages focus on Rishi Sunak's plan to bring back compulsory national service for 18-year-olds.
The former head of the Royal Navy, Admiral Lord West, tells the Guardian the proposal is ''bonkers'', adding that it would deplete the defence budget at a time when it needs investment.
The paper says this would cover the likes of extremism and the dangers posed by hostile states such as Russia and Iran.
A Conservative Party source is quoted saying Labour are crossing their fingers and hoping Britain is safe, until someone else decides what action they should take.
The paper carries analysis by the Labour Party which suggests that, in the year to March 2024, more than 282,000 working days were lost to illness in the Prison and Probation Service - the equivalent of 774 years.
It explains that a four-year pilot project, for nine to 13-year-olds, will test how effective the approach is for improving children's mental wellbeing and their school attendance.
A whistleblower claims water bosses have ignored pollution problems at the Cark-in-Cartmel site in Cumbria for two decades. The water firm United Utilities says it will spend £1.5m increasing capacity at the pumping station to reduce sewage spills.
The paper says he is taking legal action after some of his former dance partners complained about his behaviour in training sessions.
Mr Pernice denies any wrongdoing. The BBC hasn't commented on the allegations, but a show insider is quoted as saying that it has made bookings harder than ever.
The paper says apps such as Tinder and Bumble are exploring new features and marketing, to appeal to women in their early 20s. A survey by Bumble found that 70% of women using the app had experienced ''burnout''.