The Papers: 'Budget tax reprieve for pensioners' and 'Meghan dad net to widen'
Stories about the Budget and the investigation into the father of the Duchess of Sussex feature on Monday's front pages.
By BBC News
Monday’s national newspaper front pages focus on possible Budget measures for pensioners and claims that an investigation involving Thomas Markle could be widened.
The Times reports that Chancellor John Healey is expected to protect about one million low-income pensioners from paying income tax by increasing their tax-free allowance.
The paper also says Mr Healey has decided against reducing the amount of pension that can be taken as a tax-free lump sum. The Treasury has not commented on the reported details.
The Daily Express leads on Prime Minister Andy Burnham, accusing him of “betrayal” after he refused to rule out a return to freedom of movement between the UK and the European Union.
The Daily Mirror reports that an investigation into Thomas Markle over the alleged possession of child abuse images in the Philippines could be extended to the United States and Mexico. It says the FBI is expected to join the investigation.
Mr Markle, the 82-year-old father of the Duchess of Sussex, denies all the allegations made against him.
The Sun carries further claims about a letter sent to the Metropolitan Police by Mr Markle’s first wife. The Daily Mail publishes comments from a Philippine minister, who said Mr Markle could potentially be “a sex offender of the grossest kind”.
Elsewhere, the i reports Defence Secretary Wes Streeting’s pledge that the UK will “lead from the front” as defence spending is expected to receive a Budget boost.
The Daily Telegraph reports that the BBC has agreed a £400,000 payout to a Jewish documentary maker who said she experienced antisemitism and was bullied out of the corporation.