The Papers: Vaccine priorities and Brexit deal block

image captionThe Guardian says NHS staff are no longer top priority to receive the coronavirus vaccine, with care homes first in line amid fears of delays getting doses to the UK. The paper says the new immunisation strategy is “likely to disappoint and worry thousands of frontline staff”. It also reports on a blast at a waterworks in Bristol which has killed four people.

image caption“Britain hits back over the vaccine”, says the Times. The paper reports that the regulator has stood by the jab approval after Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and infectious disease, said Britain’s fast decision could make people reluctant to get vaccinated. It also carries the latest on the Eton free speech row, with the head teacher of the famous independent school defending his decision to sack a member of his staff.

image captionThe Brexit deal “on line over French fishing”, says the Daily Telegraph. It reports talks are heading for a showdown with “fears Macron may torpedo agreement at the last moment”. The paper says there had been hopes a deal was close but the British delegation was “taken aback after the EU made a series of ‘destabilising’ last-minute demands”. The striking main image is of a snow-covered Ribblehead Viaduct in North Yorkshire, under the headline “let it snow, let it snow, let it snow”.

image caption“What a cheek!” is the Daily Express’s take on the Brexit negotiations, as it says the EU has blocked talks at the 11th hour. It says the latest round of talks “did no go well” and British negotiators were thrown by the EU team introducing “new elements” which complicated things.

image captionThe Metro focuses on “Gaffin’ Gavin”, referring to the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, who it says has been accused of sounding like a toddler after claiming Britain got the Covid-19 jab approved first because “we’re a much better country” than everyone else.

image captionThe Financial Times leads on a boost for aerospace group Boeing as it reports budget airline Ryanair has made the first orders of the “troubled 737 Max” aircraft since two fatal crashes within five months. The paper says it is likely the airline negotiated a big discount on the aeroplane’s $8bn (£5.95bn) list price. It also reports that it is “crunch time for Brexit talks” as it devotes the main front page image to EU negotiator Michel Barnier. It warns talks are hanging in the balance with less than a month to go.

image caption“Vaccine arrives in the UK” is the i newspaper headline. It says the world’s first doses will be distributed to 53 vaccination hubs this weekend, with hospitals ready to roll out jabs from Tuesday. The paper adds MI5 has advised ministers to keep freezer locations, required to store the jab, secret to prevent sabotage.

image captionThe Daily Mirror has called on the government to use cash paid back by supermarkets to help support the struggling pub trade. The hospitality sector has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic and the paper says it should benefit from £1.8bn in rates relief returned by supermarket chains.

image captionThe Daily Mail leads on Home Secretary Priti Patel’s “fury at stars’ insult to Windrush victims”. She has accused Labour MPs and “do-gooding celebrities” of insulting those who suffered due to the Windrush scandal by comparing them to “murderers and thugs” who were being deported from Britain. It comes after a campaign to prevent a deportation flight earlier this week.

image captionAnd the Daily Star asks if 2020 can get any stranger after a politician called Adolf Hitler won an election in Namibia. It says the newly elected councillor says his parents probably did not know what Hitler stood for and says he has “no plans for world domination”.