Papers ponder PM's Lockerbie silence

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Gordon Brown's silence over the release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Al Megrahi is debated in the papers.

Dominic Lawson in the Independent <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/dominic-lawson/dominic-lawson-the-prime-ministers-silence-over-lockerbie-is-eloquent-1776794.html">complains of "five days of silence, followed by little more than a squeak".</a>

He adds that in recent months Mr Brown has voiced his opinions on Jade Goody's death and the mental health of the Britain's Got Talent star, Susan Boyle.

The Financial Times says the prime minister is <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2daecaf2-90c3-11de-bc99-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1">"under intense pressure"</a> to break his silence.

Economic decision

The Guardian leads on an opinion poll that it says shows <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/aug/24/labour-icm-poll-summer-fightback">the Conservatives are now the "overwhelming public choice"</a> to form the next government.

An ICM poll of about 1,000 people suggests the Tories are on 41%; Labour on 25% and the Lib Dems on 19%.

The Times claims the shortage of helicopters in Afghanistan can be traced to a decision in 1995.

It says <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6808664.ece">eight Chinooks had to mothballed</a> because the MoD would not pay Boeing for its software.

Medical matters

The Daily Mail reveals the "huge extent to which the NHS uses foreign doctors to treat patients out of hours".

It claims <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1208663/Test-foreign-doctors-coming-practice-Britain-say-GP-leaders.html">a third of Primary Care Trusts are flying in GPs from across Europe</a> because of a shortage of doctors willing to work evenings and weekends.

Michael Jackson is back on the front page of the Daily Mirror, which claims <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2009/08/24/la-coroner-rules-michael-jackson-s-death-a-homicide-115875-21621670/">his death is being treated as homicide.</a>

The King of Pop, it says, had lethal amounts of the powerful anaesthetic Propofol in his body.

King of the road

The Daily Telegraph reports vegan inmates have begun a campaign to be supplied with non-leather prison shoes.

It points out <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/6081670/Vegan-prisoners-win-right-to-cruelty-free-products-in-jail.html">vegan prisoners have already won the right to order ethically sourced food and toiletries.</a>

The paper also reports that <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/6082578/Bob-Dylan-to-become-the-voice-of-your-satnav.html">rasping music legend Bob Dylan is in negotiation to voice sat-navs.</a>

With plenty of song-inspired puns, the paper says the singer-songwriter has taken his fans down Highway 61 by way of Desolation Row.