'Drill, Andy Drill!' and a Budget for 'bloody-minded entrepreneurs'
The decision to approve the Jackdaw gas field is praised as "a welcome outbreak of common sense" in the Sun. But, in what is described as "Net Zero madness", the Daily Mail says the energy secretary, Miatta Fahnbulleh, is poised to reject plans for the Rosebank oil field. "Pathetic" is the paper's headline. A source tells the Times that it would be hard to justify approving the project on climate grounds. Another says Fahnbulleh has long been opposed to it. But, according to the Guardian, she "could still be overruled" by the prime minister, who "may hear different representations" from the chancellor.
John Healey gives clues about next week's Budget in an interview with the Times. He says that alleviating the cost of business is "in the end the only way to deal with people who have cost of living pressures". With the chancellor expected to cut regulations, a senior Treasury source likens them to "the sludge" which is "choking firms".
Separately, the Financial Times reports that Healey has suffered a "double blow" with increases in both inflation and government borrowing. One economist tells the paper the figures are "dismal" and signal that he will deliver a "cautious Budget that has little net impact on the economy and leaves the toughest fiscal decisions for next year".
Analysis by the Daily Telegraph suggests that Russia is using fishing vessels to spy on the UK's undersea cables. The paper says these could be attacked in any future war, potentially paralysing the country. A Nato source is quoted as saying: "We're absolutely aware of what Russian civilian fishing ships are up to and where... Some of them have never seen a single fish on their deck." Meanwhile, warnings about Britain's readiness for war are highlighted in the Daily Express, which calls for an increase in defence spending.
And a royal insider tells the Daily Mirror that Prince William "has no intention of engaging with" his brother, Prince Harry, who has called for reconciliation. The source says "there isn't a world where the Prince of Wales can imagine" a reunion. The headline is: "Ruled out."
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