The main headline on Metro’s front page is “I have no regrets”. These are the words of Gisele Pellicot, in which she decided to leave anonymity to speak about the years of rape and sexual abuse she suffered while on drugs, which was organized by her husband and involved dozens of strangers. Were – some of whom were jailed on Friday. ,
The Express focuses on what it describes as Gisele Pellicote’s “brave message of hope after terror”, in which she told other sexual abuse survivors that they “share the same fight” and That she was “thinking about the unrecognized victims, whose stories often remain in the shadows”.
The front page of the Daily Mirror featured a smiling photograph of Pellicott, which was featured on many front pages. In it she is described as “the bravest woman in the world”. The paper also looks into the identities of some of the men found guilty of raping her, who vary widely in age and come from different backgrounds.
The Guardian details the international reaction to the Pellicote case following Thursday’s verdict. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said she had given “a strong voice to women around the world”. The Guardian also interviews Laurence Rossignol, France’s former family and women’s rights minister, who questioned the difference between some of the sentences sought by prosecutors and those given.
The Financial Times also published a photo of a smiling Pellicott, using the word “resolute” to describe him. Its lead article looks at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s warning that European guarantees of ongoing support will not be enough if the US withdraws its aid. The FT says officials described talks between the Ukrainian president and senior European leaders at a meeting in Brussels as “differences of opinion remain over what Europe can continue to provide without US support”.
“Now look who’s really destroying the economy,” the Daily Mail wrote on its front page. It says the Bank of England’s downgrade of its growth outlook for the last three months of this year to zero is evidence that changes to National Insurance by Chancellor Rachel Reeves are going to “crush business”. The Mail also pays tribute to Gisele Pellicot, describing her as “a beautiful French woman with a core of steel, who has become a heroine for every victim of male abuse”.
There is also a focus on the economy on the front page of the Times. This follows comments from the Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, who said that “with increasing uncertainty in the economy”, the Bank was unable to say when the next interest rate cut would occur. The Times says the growth forecasts are a “blow to Labour”, and the comments come from the Prime Minister, who has defended the budget but said this week that it would “take some time” to lift living standards.
I note the Government’s response to the 36% rise in water costs for England and Wales over the next five years and the water regulator Ofwat’s warning that further increases may be necessary to solve the UK’s sewage issues. The newspaper says Labor has put the regulator “on notice” that the failings that led to Thursday’s increase may never happen again, and that the response “fuels speculation over the future of Ofwat”.
The Daily Telegraph focuses on the news that Lord Mandelson is expected to be named as Britain’s next ambassador to the US. He believes the rationale for the appointment is to enable Britain to “be able to deal with potential trade wars”. An image of Tory leader Kemi Badenoch meeting with Clarkson’s Farm star Jeremy Clarkson to discuss the future of farming and Labour’s inheritance tax is also on the front page.
The image of a Christmas card from the Prince and Princess of Wales dominates the front page of the Sun. It shows William and Kate smiling with their three children. The Sun says the family has had their “worst year ever”, with both the King and Catherine battling cancer.
Life after death is real, according to the Daily Star – which states “a man is so clever he makes Albert Einstein look like a retard”. Chris Langan, who reportedly has the highest IQ in history, said in a podcast that death is “similar to a transition to another dimension” and means “just giving up your physical body”.
