Monday's papers

The ashes victory is plastered across most of the front pages this morning.

The main headlines though stay with Lockerbie and the Telegraph leads by saying that Gordon Brown was under increasing pressure to break his "astonishing" silence over the release of the Lockerbie bomber, after it was disclosed he had discussed the issue with Colonel Gaddafi six weeks ago.

Opposition spokesmen accused Mr Brown of a "complete failure of leadership" as he maintained his refusal to speak about the early release from prison of the only man convicted of Britain's worst terrorist atrocity.

According to the Times,Scotland’s government faces a fight for its survival as the furore over its decision to free the Lockerbie bomber escalated last night.

Opposition parties north of the Border are preparing to hold a confidence vote over the decision by Kenny MacAskill, the Scottish Justice Secretary, to free Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi. Alex Salmond, the First Minister, has confirmed that he would resign if the Holyrood vote went against him.

The Mail says that Britain was warned last night it faces ' payback time' from the U.S. over the release of the Lockerbie bomber.

The alert came as American consumers were urged to boycott British and Scottish exports and holiday in Ireland instead of the UK.

England have won the Ashes. Amid scenes of unbridled joy, they prised loose Australia's reluctant hands from the great prize in the early evening yesterday. says the Independent

The party mood spread nationwide last night among thrilled fans who'd seen England thump fierce rivals Australia to win the fifth and deciding Test by 197 runs.

reports the Sun

Whilst the Mirror says that Flintoff should be knighted

some of Britain's most senior mandarins have warned Labour has abandoned cabinet government during its time in power and routinely bypassed the civil service to exert greater political control over Whitehall

,is the main story in the Guardian adding that

four former cabinet secretaries – who served three prime ministers over 26 years – have warned that the presidential style of both leaders is a threat to Britain's constitutional settlement.

According to the Independent

David Cameron faces a revolt by his own MPs over his flagship policy to raise National Health Service spending by a level above inflation each year.

adding that

Two-thirds of Tory backbenchers oppose his plan to exempt healthcare from any spending cuts that an incoming Conservative Government would make to tackle the "black hole" in the public finances.

A similar stroy in the Mail which says that the Tory leader is under fresh pressure to reduce handouts for middle-class families to cut the rising benefits bill.


The Times reports that the main challenger to President Karzai in the Afghan elections accused him yesterday of rigging last week’s vote.

He told the paper that

he would challenge alleged fraud only through legal channels, rather than calling his supporters out in protest, and would accept defeat if it was ultimately confirmed by election bodies.