Speaker's first PMQs picked over

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Thursday's papers give their verdict on the new Speaker's first Prime Minister's Questions.

The Sun <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2499464/Gordon-Brown-admits-misleading-MPs-over-spending-plans.html">says John Bercow's "headmaster style may infuriate MPs,</a> but he passed his first test with flying colours".

<a class="inlineText" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jun/25/simon-hoggart-john-bercow">"He shut up the more egregious greasers,"</a> writes the Guardian, and "shushed" those making too much noise.

Quentin Letts in the Daily Mail <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1195335/QUENTIN-LETTS-Mr-Squeaker-crouched-like-gardener-deadheading-rose.html">is the least impressed,</a> claiming it looked like the Speaker from the British Youth Parliament had been given a week's work experience.

Sex and swearing

The BBC is the focus of two broadsheet front pages, although for different reasons.

The Times says <a class="inlineText" href="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article6572063.ece">the corporation is refusing to itemise how much it spends on hospitality</a> and gifts, particularly for politicians.

But as long as the licence fee endures, this spending is inevitable, it writes: "How much would you spend to protect virtually your sole source of income?"

Elsewhere, the Daily Telegraph says <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/5628315/BBC-bows-to-viewers-and-curbs-swearing-after-9pm-watershed.html">the BBC has "bowed to viewers"</a> and will curb "sex and swearing" after the watershed.

Blood diamonds

The Daily Mirror is angry that <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/opinion/">no senior Royal will attend the first Armed Forces Day</a> this weekend.

Branding it "disrespectful," its leader says "the sacrifices of brave men and women deserve Royal respect".

Meanwhile, the Independent is exercised for a different reason - over what it says is <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/exclusive-the-return-of-blood-diamonds-1718027.html">"the return of blood diamonds".</a>

Zimbabwe, it says, is the worst offender, the paper claims, "where hundreds of diamond miners were massacred by the army". The industry must get tougher, it insists.

'Cushy pensions'

Government spending of different kinds angers several papers, including the Financial Times, which leads on <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5d2c1976-60e7-11de-aa12-00144feabdc0.html">Mervyn King's criticism of Treasury policy.</a>

"The lack of trust between the Bank of England and the government was blown into the open," it says, over Gordon Brown's "enormous" levels of borrowing.

The Daily Express says <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/109795">"MPs want more of our cash for their pensions".</a>

They have "the cushiest final salary scheme going," but can still "just vote to make the taxpayer put in more".