'Defence black hole' and 'Starmer's gift to Burnham'
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Many of Wednesday's papers lead with the fallout from the announcement of the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) yesterday. Sir Keir Starmer's "gift" to Andy Burnham for his first Budget is a "£4.7bn hole", writes The i Paper. The outgoing prime minister "risks political row", it says, after leaving a third of the scheme unfunded.
On the "defence black hole", the Times says "PM in waiting", Burnham, must "raise taxes or cut spending" and "was not told in advance about the gap". The paper also reports that the number of billionaires "soars thanks to boom in AI".
"PM still puts welfare ahead of defence boost" is the Daily Express's take on the DIP. Sir Keir has been "blasted" for his "refusal to rein in" welfare by critics, it adds.
The "black hole" in the Defence Investment Plan is "indefensible", according to the Daily Mail. Starmer has "passed the buck" to Burnham after "short-changing Britain's military", it adds, while starting a campaign titled "don't leave Britain defenceless."
"Britain needs you... to queue" headlines the Metro, with a photo of Sir Keir and Chancellor Rachel Reeves pointing to the reader, Lord Kitchener-style. This comes as it says "jam-busting road projects will have to be sacrificed" towards the defence budget.
An analysis produced by the Telegraph says "Oxbridge diversity plans exclude white working class". The paper also confirms its acquisition by Europe's largest news publisher Axel Springer has been completed.
A photo of Serena Williams roaring makes the Guardian's front page, calling her comeback "no fairytale". The paper also marks a ruling by the US Supreme Court that has upheld birthright citizenship, saying it has rejected "a central pillar of Donald Trump's anti-immigrant agenda".
In the lead for the Financial Times are Nato Chief Mark Rutte's comments that "Europe's rearmament is sustaining 195,000 US defence jobs". He is "making a case for Donald Trump to remain committed", says the FT, ahead of a Nato summit next week.
Reform UK's leader is "same gold Farage" and a "man with no shame", writes the Daily Mirror. He is said to have "raked in £270,000 for doing just 12 hours' work as a brand ambassador for a gold bullion dealer".
"We are the Lions that roar" headlines the Sun ahead of England's World Cup match against the Democratic Republic of Congo. It urges fans to "join a national debate about what it means to be English" ahead of the "do-or-die clash".
England player Jude Bellingham's declaration that he would love to play James Bond tops the Daily Star. He has a "license to thrill," it says.
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