The Papers: Labour’s ‘heated rivalry’ and ‘Trump backs down’

The Sunday Telegraph leads on what it calls Labour’s “civil war” after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham declared his intention to run in an upcoming by-election. The paper says there is growing support for Burnham as he targets a return to Westminster, and potentially a challenge to Sir Keir Starmer.

“Heated rivalry” reads the Observer’s headline. Its front page features a photo of the prime minister and Andy Burnham smiling at each other. The Independent also has a picture of the two men, this time looking less pleased in each other’s company. The paper says Labour’s division has been “laid bare”. The Mail on Sunday says the choice to either block Burnham from running or face a leadership challenge leaves “the beleaguered” Sir Keir “cornered”.

“Burnham throws down gauntlet” reads the Sunday Times’s headline, while the Sunday Mirror declares it “the battle for Labour”. Its editorial says the last thing the country needs is a wobbly government, and it hopes the two men can work together.

The Times says scientists in California have reached a turning point in their ability to create life in the lab using artificial intelligence. The breakthrough, which builds complex genetic sequences more quickly, cheaply and accurately than existing methods, paves the way for creating personalised cancer vaccines in days, according to the paper. It warns the new technique must be properly regulated, as it could lead to new biological weapons and the creation of what it calls “designer babies”.

A former head of MI6 has warned that Russian spies will step up attacks against the UK as part of an “undeclared war” on the West, according to the Sunday Express. Sir Richard Dearlove said there had been a “continual, gradual escalation” in what he called “grey warfare” by Moscow against Nato countries.

According to the Sunday Telegraph, a woman known to have stalked Prince Harry sat near him during his appearance at the High Court last week. The Prince was there for the opening of his privacy case against the publisher of the Daily Mail, and it’s understood that court security officials were alerted to the woman’s presence. A source close to the Duke of Sussex is quoted as saying there was nothing anyone could do as the High Court is a public building.

President Trump’s “U-turn” on comments about Nato allies in the Afghanistan war leads the Daily Star. Donald Trump’s suggestion that allied troops stayed away from the front line during the conflict was met with widespread condemnation, including from the singer Sir Rod Stewart. In a nod to one of his hits, the paper’s headline reads “have I told you lately that I hate you?”

The Sunday Express says figures from the Department for Transport shows central London has the worst traffic jams in the country, with vehicles moving at just six-point-nine miles per hour on average. Outside the capital, Slough, Brighton and Reading were the worst affected areas.