Newspaper headlines: Over-40s April jab and ‘happy as Harry’

image captionPolice and teaching unions have criticised the government’s decision to roll out vaccinations based on age, rather than prioritising frontline workers, the i weekend reports. Scientific advisers to the government have said that focusing on key jobs would slow down the roll out and prolong the pandemic, it adds. The over-40s should be offered jabs in April, those in their 30s from early May, and the final group – those 18 and above – will be vaccinated from mid-May, the paper says.

image captionThe Daily Mail reports that grieving families are calling for an inquiry over concerns that deaths have been wrongly certified as Covid-19. One funeral director is quoted in the paper as saying it was a “national scandal”. The paper says its investigation raises serious questions over the UK’s official death toll. Elsewhere it describes the Duke of Sussex’s interview US chat show host James Corden as a “TV toe-curler”.

image captionThe Daily Express carries comments from England’s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam, who has warned the public not to take “their foot off the brake” too soon. “Don’t wreck it now” is the headline dominating the front page.

image caption“Queen’s as happy as Harry” is the headline on the front of the Daily Mirror, which reports that the Queen has told her grandson she was delighted he and the Duchess of Sussex had “found happiness”. According to the paper, during a call between the Duke of Sussex and his grandmother, she asked him to uphold his family values. Prince Harry made a surprise appearance on The Late Late Show, telling host James Corden his decision to move to the US was about “stepping back” from the Royal Family, rather than “stepping down”.

image captionThe Daily Star also carries Prince Harry’s interview with Corden. “The Fresh Prince of Hot Air” is the headline on the front page, referencing the Duke of Sussex’s appearance outside the mansion made famous by Will Smith’s hit 90s show – which the duke rapped with Corden.

image caption“Generation rent” could become “generation buy” under plans to be announced in the Budget next week. the Times reports. In a “boost” for first-time buyers, the paper says the Treasury will guarantee parts of mortgages to encourage banks to offer loans on certain properties – helping buyers get a mortgage with a deposit worth just 5%.

image captionAlso leading on next week’s Budget, the FT Weekend says Chancellor Rishi Sunak will use it to “level with people” over the “enormous stains” in the country’s public finances. In an interview with the paper, Mr Sunak said Britain’s finances were “exposed”, but said there was an immediate need to spend more to protect jobs.

image captionElsewhere, the Guardian leads with the US intelligence report which found that Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. Released on Friday, the report confirmed that the future king had a personal hand in the premeditated murder of one of his most vocal critics. Prince Mohammed has previously denied ordering the killing or having any knowledge of it, but the report portrays a “damning picture”, the paper adds.

image captionThe Daily Telegraph leads with Alex Salmond’s escalating feud with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has told the paper that the Cabinet Office should look into whether Scottish civil servants broke the code of conduct in how they dealt with complaints made against Mr Salmond. Mr Salmond has accused his successor of a “failure” of leadership and claimed there was a conspiracy against him.

image captionFinally, the Sun carries an interview with former Apprentice contestant Lottie Lion. According to the paper, the show has “ruined her life”. After losing her job in the pandemic, she joined a sugar daddy website and ended up contacting police over “threats” she received, the paper adds.