Comments by Leo Varadkar on immigration and further insights into next week's Budget make the headlines in Friday's papers.
The Irish Times leads with comments from former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, as he says immigration levels are rising too fast in Ireland.
The Irish Examiner reveals low and middle-income earners are to benefit from a cut to the universal social charge, from four per cent to three per cent.
The Echo leads with a Cork City councillor calling illegal parking in the area "madness".
The Irish Independent reveals child benefit is set to be doubled in the budget next week, along with a €250 energy credit for Christmas.
The Irish Daily Mail leads with a U-turn by the Office of Public Works to spend €600,000 on a PR contract.
The Irish Daily Mirror and the Irish Daily Star also lead with this story.
British papers
Domestic politics and the upcoming federal Budget dominate Friday’s front pages.
The Times reports Chancellor Rachel Reeves will free up £50 billion to be spent on roads, housing, energy and other big projects by potentially changing the Government’s borrowing rules.
TIMES: Reeves set to profit by tweaking debt rules #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/r8nzpWJT6Z
Advertisement— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) September 26, 2024
Meanwhile, the Financial Times says Ms Reeves is ready to “water down” her “budget raid” on non-doms amid fears some of the measures might not raise money.
Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Friday 27 September https://t.co/pYC8LwDTYT pic.twitter.com/GloPZeneYb
— Financial Times (@FT) September 26, 2024
But economists are warning the Chancellor’s changes to the Budget could keep interest rates higher for longer, the i reports.
Friday's front page: Budget rule change risks higher interest rates for longer, Reeves warned #Tomorrowspaperstoday
Latest from @CallumCMason and @HugoGye: https://t.co/33tl9w7Na3 pic.twitter.com/XL6zOd5J96— The i paper (@theipaper) September 26, 2024
The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail both focus on reports former prime minister Boris Johnson tried to persuade the Duke of Sussex against leaving the UK with Meghan Markle.
The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph:
'I told Harry not to leave UK, reveals Johnson'#TomorrowsPapersToday
Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4OoUh6 pic.twitter.com/DS51o3Ow82— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) September 26, 2024
MAIL: Boris: My ‘manly’ pep talk with Harry #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/3ebY2hCK6N
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) September 26, 2024
In foreign affairs news, The Guardian leads with Benjamin Netanyahu saying Israel “will not stop” attacks on Hezbollah despite ceasefire calls.
GUARDIAN; Netanyahu says Lebanon strikes will go on #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/P8NGO2mzRX
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) September 26, 2024
The Independent reveals Sir Keir Starmer will meet with Ursula von der Leyen to thrash out EU deals on defence, immigration and trade.
INDEPENDENT: Revealed: Starmer’s ‘3 pillar’ blueprint to rebuild ties with EU #tomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/GXaTNcQeOq
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) September 26, 2024
Metro splashes on the UK’s biggest rail stations being hit by a “cyber security incident”.
Tomorrow's Paper Today 📰
WIJACKED ON RUSH HOUR TRAINS
🔴 Terror hackers target rail stations across UK#tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/0A03gu33f9— Metro (@MetroUK) September 26, 2024
The Daily Express leads with the story of a woman who has to make a 260-mile round trip to see her husband, saying their case exposes a “crumbling social care system”.
EXPRESS: It feels like they son’t want him to come back to me #TomorrowsPapetsToday pic.twitter.com/tp5Vl0A4PL
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) September 26, 2024
The Daily Mirror asks how Mohamed Al Fayed escaped justice despite police receiving 19 sex abuse allegations during his lifetime.
Tomorrow's front page: How did he escape justice? https://t.co/kzEL7e0iSq #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/ijRMk0ivLk
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) September 26, 2024
The Sun leads on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here contestants being allowed Ozempic injections while on the show.
THE SUN: I’m a celeb…get me Ozempic in here! #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/WGg3A3rk7Y
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) September 26, 2024
Lastly, the Daily Star reports on a massive baby doll initially built as a teaching aid for kids that is “creeping out” a local town.
Friday's front page: ATTACK OF THE CREEPY GIANT BABY DOLL #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/HP42s6vtEQ pic.twitter.com/N83evipfgG
— Daily Star (@dailystar) September 26, 2024
