Newspaper headlines: 'Archie's big day' and 'no bluff' from Johnson By BBC News

Staff Published duration 7 July 2019

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The front pages are a mix of politics and royalty, with pictures of Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor at his christening competing for attention with the promises of Boris Johnson, the Tory leadership front-runner.

The Sunday Express urges its readers to "forget that Royal christening row" over the decision of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to exclude the public and press from the ceremony. "Just look at adorable Archie", it says.

The Mail on Sunday says that since the arrival of Harry and Meghan's baby, the country had had only tantalising glimpses of his feet and part of his face.

The official pictures were, the Sun says, the first proper look at the youngest member of the Royal family - and immediately points to "an emerging mop of red hair"

And amid the official pictures from the christening ceremony of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's son, Archie, is a cartoon in the Sunday Telegraph showing Boris Johnson as if he were a baby - a toy London bus in his hand - being held by a priest. The caption reads simply: "Anointed".

Some leader writers, too, see the outcome of the contest as a foregone conclusion. "Like Winston, Boris has to lead a government of all the Tory talents," the Mail on Sunday declares. "The first hundred days will make or break Mr Johnson," the Sunday Times warns

'Not bluffing'

As Conservative Party members start voting, a number of papers urge them to back Mr Johnson. The Sunday Telegraph says Jeremy Hunt has acquitted himself well, but at this crucial juncture in Britain's history, the country needs a leader who both recognises the scale of the challenge and has the confidence to push through until the task is completed.

But the Sunday Times warns that the job of Prime Minister is demonstrably more demanding than that of London Mayor and in order to succeed, Mr Johnson must put his shoulder to the wheel.

Boris Johnson tells the Sunday Telegraph that he's "not bluffing" about delivering a no-deal Brexit on 31 October.

In an interview for the paper, he urges EU leaders to "look deep into our eyes" and understand that the UK will leave the EU with or without an agreement if he becomes Prime Minister.

He also accuses Theresa May of presiding over a "diet of miserablism" and a "computer says no" attitude in government.

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In the same paper, Jeremy Hunt pledges to rewrite the medieval treason laws so that returning jihadist fighters and supporters can be condemned to a lifetime behind bars.

The Foreign Secretary pledges to make the "punishment fit the crime" with a Treason Act introducing life sentences for those who support militant groups who are in combat with UK troops.

For its lead story, the Sunday Times says Jeremy Corbyn has been plunged into a leadership crisis after his closest allies demanded that he sack his top aides for keeping him "captive" over the issue of a Brexit referendum.

According to the paper, multiple sources say he was confronted by shadow home secretary Diane Abbott and shadow chancellor John McDonnell. It says they insisted that he fire his gatekeeper, Karie Murphy and Seumas Milne, his director of communications and strategy.

The Observer says it can reveal that the Home Office has drawn up a secret programme using homelessness charities to acquire sensitive personal data that could result in the deportation of non-UK rough sleepers.

It says the scheme, which is still in a trial phase, is seen by charities and campaigners as the latest manifestation of the Home Office's much-maligned "hostile environment" policy.

The Home Office tells the paper the programme was set up to help resolve the immigration status of non-UK nationals sleeping rough, either granting lawful status or providing documentation. "This enables individuals to access support or assists them in leaving the UK where appropriate," a spokesman says.

A number of papers warn that the boost to women's football provided by the progress of the Lionesses in the World Cup could be put at risk by the loss of play facilities over the past decade

The Sunday People reports that figures released by Labour show that 2,500 school football pitches have disappeared during the Conservative and coalition governments.

The Sunday Mirror says the Tory leadership candidates have shown from their campaign promises that they will have plenty of money to spend and they should use some of it for sports facilities for young people.

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He says a bus-top tour or a trip to Downing Street would be celebrating failure, and his team don't want it.