Mounting scrutiny of Boris Johnson over Christmas parties allegedly held last December and new pandemic restrictions are splashed across the front pages.
The Sun mocks up the Prime Minister as the Grinch beneath the headline “Do As I Say.. Not As I Christmas Do”, while Metro reports Mr Johnson is under growing pressure to resign after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused him of taking the public “for fools” throughout the episode.
The Daily Star simply refers to the PM as “Captain Cock-up”.
Mr Johnson has brought forward new national pandemic restrictions as his party’s scandal “engulfs” No 10, reports The Guardian.
But the Daily Mail says the PM has been accused of fast-tracking the fresh curbs to distract from the scandal, which the Financial Times claims has caused anger to “fester”.
Mr Johnson has refused to answer questions about two other parties allegedly held in contravention of pandemic rules, reports the Daily Mirror.
The Daily Express quotes the 57-year-old as saying the new plan B Covid measures should help people enjoy a “close to normal” Christmas.
The rules include a return to working from home, Covid passes and more masks in cinemas and theatres, according to The Independent and The Times, with the latter also reporting one million people could be infected with the Omicron coronavirus variant in the next month.
The Daily Telegraph covers an “immediate backlash” to the “irrational” new curbs, with the paper noting their apparent inconsistency via the headline: “Don’t go to work, but do go to parties.”
And health experts have offered reassurances that boosters will hold off Omicron, reports i.
Related: Really?! Police will not investigate ‘rule-breaking No 10 Xmas party’
