'Europe's Silicon Valley' and Strictly Wynne's apology

“Reeves pledges to create ‘Europe’s Silicon Valley'”, reads the Guardian headline, referring to Chancellor Rachel Reeves “push for growth”, which features on many of Wednesday’s front pages. The paper says she will reveal plans to create a tech hub between Oxford and Cambridge, in a bid to “kickstarting economic growth and putting more money in people’s pockets”. The Guardian adds that industry experts say the infrastructure will add up to £78bn to the UK’s economy within 10 years. Gaza refugees returning to a “wasteland of ruins” in northern Gaza also features, with the Guardian’s leading image depicting Palestinians on their walk home.

“Abramovich, superyachts and a tax avoiding scandal”, reads the Metro, referring to leaked documents exposing how Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich is said to avoided paying millions of pounds in taxes by leasing out his superyachts. The former owner of Premier League team Chelsea FC, was pictured on his £559m yacht Eclipse in the Caribbean one Christmas Day – when it was supposedly chartered by a company based in the British Virgin Islands, the paper adds, in a story that was first reported by the BBC.

The Financial Times leads with US President Donald Trump’s “freeze on hundreds of billions” in federal loans and grants, which it says has stirred “alarm”. The paper calls it Trump’s “latest move” to cut spending, and says it jeopardises funding ranging from medical and scientific research to early childhood education and food aid. One Democrat senator called the freeze “inhumane”.

The i paper splashes with their exclusive on the chancellor’s speech – and an upcoming announcement of a £55m investment into supplying an extra 30,000 electric vehicle kerbside charging ports. It says that Reeves’ “major speech” is an attempt to “shake off post-Brexit concerns over stagnant growth”. The i adds that she will also confirm expansion plans for Heathrow airport.

The Daily Express’s royal exclusive takes a look at King Charles reportedly vetoing the name HMS Agincourt for a new Navy submarine, to “avoid upsetting the French over their historic defeat”. The name was initially approved by Queen Elizabeth in 2018, the paper says, but will now be called HMS Achilles. Agincourt is the place where Henry V’s victory against Charles VI’s French forces occurred.

“I will fight for growth”, vows the chancellor in the Daily Telegraph headline, as she backs expansions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton airports amidst opposition from some colleagues in the cabinet. The paper says she will also announce nine new reservoirs, and a “growth corridor” including road and rail upgrades to Oxford. The Telegraph also takes a look at French President Emmanuel Macron’s vow that British tourists -among other non-EU citizens – will have to pay more to visit the Louvre in order to “help fund” changes to the Louvre, including a dedicated room for the Mona Lisa.

The Times leads with Keir Starmer likening his government to Margaret Thatcher’s as he promises to cut through “thickets of red tape” to make way for growth. He write in the Times that he will take aim at “overreach” by government watchdogs, and end what he calls “vexatious legal challenges”. Attempting to make his government one of deregulation, the prime minister says it is “now essential” to make Labour’s plans on homebuilding and green energy a reality.

The Daily Mail says critics of the chancellor are telling her to “tear down barriers” to growth that she created, as she readies her latest plans to revive what the paper calls the UK’s “flat-lining economy”. In her speech on Wednesday, Reeves will say she is ready to move “further and faster” in pursuit of growth, the Mail adds.

The Daily Mirror splashes with Wynne Evans being “axed” from the Strictly Live tour after he reportedly made a sexualised comment during the tour’s launch earlier this month. The paper quotes the former Strictly Come Dancing contestant as saying he has agreed with the BBC to “take some time out”, and adds that he is “deeply sorry” for the pain caused.

“Wynne: I’m so sorry”, reads the Sun’s headline, leading with Strictly star Wynne Evans’s apology for what he calls his “inappropriate actions”. The tenor’s apology comes after he is said to have made a sexualised “joke” during the Strictly Live tour, which he has now been dropped from. The paper adds that he has split from his partner and faces being “axed from his Go Compare ads”.

And the Daily Star’s front page story reports how “dastardly chatbots” have learned how to replicate without the help of humans.