Newspaper headlines: PM 'damaged but unbowed' as Gray report criticises No 10 culture

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-61588024

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Thursday's front pages are dominated by the fallout from the publication of Sue Gray's investigation into No 10 parties during lockdown. The i carries a striking photograph of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, putting him at the centre of the scandal as it notes lurid revelations of "vomiting, fighting, partying until 4am plus laughing at security and cleaners".

"Drinking, fights, vomiting: all in a day's work, says PM" is how the Guardian responds to Mr Johnson's claims that he was "oblivious" to the culture of boozing and partying in Downing Street during lockdown, despite Ms Gray's "damning" report suggesting rule-breaking was happening at the heart of government.

The Daily Mirror's front page contrasts a photograph of the Covid memorial wall, which remembers those who died during the pandemic, with an image of Mr Johnson enjoying food and drink at his lockdown birthday event in the cabinet room. It illustrates the paper's point that while the nation was "sacrificing and mourning", Downing Street staff were "drinking until they were sick, laughing at security guards...and cleaners", which the Mirror concludes was them "laughing at us all".

The Metro's front page strikes a similar visual tone, with details of red wine being splattered on the walls of No 10 during a "lockdown-busting booze-up" contrasted with an emotive government advert from the pandemic showing a Covid patient with the caption: "Look her in the eyes and tell her you never bend the rules."

The Daily Star draws a cheeky parallel between the prime minister and an English football fan who was memorably photographed above with a flare, suggesting they both know what it is like to have "bad days at the office".

However, the Daily Mail argues the photos of the prime minister surrounded by "juice and M&S sandwiches" at his cabinet room birthday gathering are "innocuous". It concludes even Mr Johnson's staunchest enemies must now be asking "Is that it?"

Carrying the same photograph of Mr Johnson, the Daily Express indignantly asks "Is this what all the fuss was about?" It says Ms Gray's report "failed to contain any explosive new disclosures about the PM's behaviour".

"The Party(gate) is over", proclaims the front page of the Sun, which appeals directly to the prime minister to move on from the scandal and focus on helping its readers through the "desperate" cost of living crisis.

The Financial Times says the prime minister has been "damaged but unbowed" by Ms Gray's report, pointing out that even Mr Johnson's "fiercest critics" admit the report has "failed to inflict a fatal wound" on him. The FT captures the mood among some Tory MPs, with one quoted as saying: "Most of us are resigned to the fact that he won't be going, but that we've lost the next general election", while another admits the appetite to remove Mr Johnson as prime minister is low.

In other news, the Daily Telegraph leads on a preview of Rishi Sunak's announcement of measures to help families struggling with the cost of living. The chancellor's multibillion-pound support package will include plans to give every household in the country hundreds of pounds off their energy bills this autumn by scrapping a previous plan to make them repay it over five years, the paper reveals. The move - which the paper points out will still be "dwarfed" by the expected rise in energy bills - will be funded by an oil and gas windfall tax.

Government sources have told the Times that under Mr Sunak's "mix-and-match" support deal, the value of the discount on energy bills could be boosted to as much as £400, at a cost of £10bn. But another government source warns the measures will be "temporary and targeted" as ministers want to avoid a big increase in state support for what they see as a "short-term crisis".

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