State of economy back in the headlines

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There is an air of foreboding over the economy on the front of the Times.

A close-up of Big Ben is accompanied by the headline: "On borrowed time". It <a class="inlineText" href="http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/article7032892.ecee">says the UK is borrowing £277,000 per minute</a> and its debt is now £848.5bn.

"Painful cuts are needed," the paper says in an editorial, "to make public services sustainable".

On that subject, the <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/cash-crisis-hits-town-halls-from-truro-to-aberdeen-1904125.html">Independent claims 20,000 council jobs are being axed</a> across Britain as a cash crisis hits town halls.

'Stinging rebuke'

The <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9fe18c22-1cdc-11df-8d8e-00144feab49a.html?nclick_check=1">Financial Times' lead is the letters from 60 or so economists</a> who say the government's plans for reducing the public deficit are "sensible".

It is <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/feb/18/spending-cuts-economists-deficit">"a stinging rebuke" to the shadow chancellor</a> by heavyweight academics, says the Guardian.

"Will Brown call an April election?" asks the Daily Mail.

It says the <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1252147/Will-Gordon-Brown-April-election-Prime-Minister-signals-change-plan-fear-grows-double-dip-recession.html">PM signalled the prospect of an early election</a> as Britain was battered by a "wave of dire economic news" and a "slew of torrid reports".

Cattle class

MPs, their perks, expenses and lifestyles are making a bit of a comeback in the papers.

The <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2859969/Harriet-Harman-muzzled-watchdog-on-exes.html">Sun says Harriet Harman, Leader of the Commons, ordered a cover-up over MPs' most extravagant expense claims</a> which were rejected by officials.

Tory MP Sir Nicholas Winterton is in trouble again after his latest gaffe about the "totally different kind of people who travel standard class.

The <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/02/18/1st-class-berk-115875-22051025/">Mirror sees him as "the true face of the Tories".</a>

Bridge too far

The <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1252116/Ill-save-Abbey-Road-Andrew-Lloyd-Webber-promises-30m-plus-buy-studios.html">Daily Mail is one of several papers to report Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber has vowed to buy </a> the world famous Abbey Road recording studios in London.

Record group EMI has apparently rejected a £30m offer, says the paper.

Finally, the <a class="inlineText" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/7263162/Tickle-Cock-Bridge-returned-to-original-name-after-row.html">Daily Telegraph has a tale of people power</a> over the renaming of a railway underpass in West Yorkshire.

Councillors had gone for the more "appropriate" "Tittle Cott Bridge" but after a public vote its original name was reinstated - "Tickle Cock Bridge".