The latest twist in the controversial story of the Ferguson shipyard is the lead story in The Scotsman. The paper says the Port Glasgow yard has finally agreed the completion dates of two CalMac ferries which are already two-and-a-half times over the original budget and about five years late. The Scottish government’s ferry-buying firm, CMAL, is quoted as saying it would “absolutely” entrust Ferguson to build more ferries.
The Herald leads with the local authority body Cosla warning about the risks to public services after the government conceded cuts would have to be made to some services because of a funding gap. The paper says First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of refusing to engage in discussions with local authorities about the situation.
Claims that the Prince of Wales has criticised the UK plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda are reported on some of Saturday’s front pages. The Daily Mail says Prince Charles has “privately condemned” the government’s scheme as “appalling”. The paper notes the reported comments come after the High Court ruled the first flight to Rwanda could go ahead and says prince is “risking a major clash with No 10”.
The Times also leads on Prince Charles’s supposed dislike for the Rwanda policy. It reports the heir to the throne is said to be “particularly frustrated” by the policy amid fears it could overshadow a Commonwealth summit in Rwanda, where he is due to represent the Queen. The Times says Clarence House did not deny Prince Charles was opposed to the policy but insisted the prince was not trying to influence the government and stressed he remains politically neutral.
The Daily Record speaks to an amateur radio ham who has told how Albanian police seized his equipment after suspecting he was a spy. Delivery driver Colin McGowan, of Stenhousemuir, was on a five-day trip to the country when he was quizzed over the radio gear, which has been sent to the Albanian Criminality Laboratory for further examination.
The Daily Telegraph has a positive take on Boris Johnson’s reaction to a review of England’s food strategy. UK government ministers have been accused of planning to ignore recommendations, including a tax on sugar and salt. The Telegraph features a beaming Boris Johnson petting a cow at an agricultural show in Cornwall. The paper says farmers will be told to produce more fruit and vegetables to help ease the cost of living and “food threat from Ukraine war”.
The i reports the prime minister faces a new plot to unseat him with backbench MPs mobilising the grassroots party. It suggests the plan involves getting 65 local Tory chairmen against Boris Johnson to force a non-binding no confidence vote on their leader’s fate at general meeting of the National Conservative Convention.
The Daily Express says there has been a surge in people making plans for UK holidays amid recent “travel chaos” at airports. The paper says the “rocketing” jump is a bid by families to “steer clear of unbearable airport queues and flight cancellations”.
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall are set to host a live episode of the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in Buckingham Palace, according to The Sun. The paper says the prince and the “Strictly superfan” duchess have been in secret talks with the BBC bosses and the episode is due to be hosted in the palace’s ballroom later this year.
The National says the SNP have slammed the Tories’ Brexit “obsession” as the economic impact of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU is revealed by a new study. The paper says latest figures from the Centre for European Reform suggest that Boris Johnson’s Brexit strategy has cost the UK economy £31bn.
The Glasgow Times looks ahead to the city being set to host a record number of music events this summer, as police say they are prepared to help deal with hundreds of thousands of gig-goers.
The Press and Journal reports that the popular Parkrun in Inverness has been cancelled after an unauthorised Travellers’ camp appeared on the site.
The Edinburgh Evening News reports that a community fundraiser for a Tranent man who died after being hit by a taxi has reached more than three times its target in just one day.
The Evening Express leads with a rapist pleading guilty to attacking an 18-year-old woman in Aberdeen after being on the run for eight years.
The Courier says Perth and Kinross Council has pledged to support more than nearly 300 Ukrainian refugees arriving in the area.
The Evening Telegraph reports on the death of a convicted sex attacker in prison.
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