The Guardian, external and the Times, external lead on the government’s plans to introduce stricter residency checks for people donating to political parties – a move that could block the £72m given to Reform UK by two cryptocurrency tycoons.
A source tells the Times that potential donors might have to prove that they’ve lived in the UK for at least 183 days a year.
In a separate article the paper says Reform is already spending the money, it’s doubling its policy team from 10 to 20, recruiting 400 field agents and preparing its YouTube channel.
In an editorial the Daily Mail, external accuses Labour of “hyperventilating hypocrisy”.
The paper says there’s nothing to prove that the two tycoons are seeking to benefit from their gifts to Reform, whereas Labour depends on funding from trade unions and it rewards them with changes to legislation that favour their members.
The Daily Mirror, external says the Reform leader, Nigel Farage can rail against the rules and attack the establishment as much as he likes. The paper says “the floundering leader propped up by two billionaires” cannot expect voters to stop asking whose interests his party would really serve in power.
The village of Piddington in Oxfordshire, where people are protesting against a plan to build a camp for asylum seekers, is on the front pages of the Daily Express, external and Daily Telegraph, external. The Express says the campaign group Women of Piddington has written about security fears to all 266 female MPs, but only four have responded.
The i Paper, external says a review commissioned by the government will say that ADHD is not being widely overdiagnosed.
However, the report – to be published within weeks – will say that record numbers of people are seeking an official diagnosis in order to access support and benefits.
According to the Financial Times, external, France has stunned other EU countries with a request to remove the Russian-Uzbek oligarch Alisher Usmanov from the list of people and organisations targeted by European sanctions. The paper says France’s move is linked to its efforts to secure the release of a number of French citizens imprisoned in Azerbaijan.
And finally, the Telegraph, external reports that Halloween pumpkins will be too small to carve this year, after drought damaged their growth. Farmers say they’ll be about 40% smaller than usual.
