What the papers say: Thursday's front pages

A look at the biggest stories in the papers on Thursday.
What the papers say: Thursday's front pages

Comments on Friday's referendums and new powers for gardaí to conduct drug testing are among the headlines in Thursday's papers.

The Irish Times leads with comments from Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on the referendums, as he says a No vote would be a "setback for the country."

The Irish Examiner leads with comments from HSE chief executive Bernard Gloster, who admitted terminally ill children were let down by the HSE by not having access to palliative care.

The Echo leads with calls for Cork County Council to improve safety measures on Cork City's foothpaths.

The Irish Independent leads with gardaí now having further power for drug testing, as motorists can be detained while waiting for a drug test result.

The Irish Daily Mail looks at the communication between Catherine Martin and Siún Ní Raghaillaigh on the day the former RTÉ chair resigned.

The Irish Daily Mirror leads with a child with scoliosis waiting five years for surgery, as they pain has become too much to sit in their wheelchair.

The Irish Daily Star leads with a dog who was seized by gardaí after it was traded for drugs.

British papers

Reaction to UK chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Budget dominates the front pages of Britain’s newspapers on Thursday.

The Daily Telegraph, The Independent and Daily Mail report on the Chancellor’s “ambition” to abolish National Insurance.

The Financial Times says Mr Hunt has left the “door open to more tax cuts”.

The Budget has “drawn up the battle lines for the election”, according to the Metro, while the Daily Mirror voices its displeasure with Mr Hunt’s proposals, saying “we deserve better”.

In contrast, the Daily Express says “Britain is ready for take off” while The Times relays words from Mr Hunt who said “we’re turning the corner”.

The Budget was “a last desperate act” according to The Guardian, while the i reports Labour will rule out taxing the wealthy to “plug the £20 billion hole” in Britain’s public spending.

In other news, The Sun says the Duke of Sussex’s pants sold for nearly £200,000.

And the Daily Star says men who eat “fatty foods like a full English” breakfast are more attractive to women.

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