A range of stories lead Friday’s front pages. The Daily Telegraph’s reports Britain’s biggest bank Lloyds has “pledged solidarity” with transgender staff following the Supreme Court ruling a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law. To the side of the lead story is a photo of Harry Potter author JK Rowling who enjoys a cocktail and cigar on a yacht following the judgement. “Everything is OK for JK”, is the sub-headline.
For the Daily Mail it also splashes on the photo of Rowling “toasting” the Supreme Court’s decision. The Mail says the ruling has put Labour in “turmoil” as it says the “party faces pressure to rip up gender laws”. It reports that Health Minister Karin Smyth was unable to answer directly when quizzed on Thursday as to whether trans people should be treated on the same hospital wards as women.
The Times leads with comments made by Baroness Falkner, chair of the UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission, to the BBC. She said trans people should be pushing for a “third space” such as neutral toilets and changing rooms following the Supreme Court’s ruling. The King and Queen Camilla catch the eye as the main image following their appearance at Durham Cathedral to mark Maundy Thursday.
In other news, the Guardian marks Donald Trump hosting the Italian prime minister at the White House on Thursday. The paper says Giorgia Meloni has put herself forward as an intermediary between Washington and Europe amid concern about the effect of Trump’s trade policies. The Guardian’s lead centres on a story that ministers are scrambling to avoid a Labour backbench rebellion on disability benefit cuts.
The Sun writes “no-fly throne” with a picture of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and King Charles against the backdrop of a drone. The story claims a drone no-fly-zone has been imposed over the King’s Sandringham home by worried security services.
According to the front of Friday’s i Paper, British negotiators are coming under “huge pressure” to weaken food and animal welfare standards in order to agree an “imminent” trade deal with the US. Farmers in the states are keen to sell their beef, pork and chicken in the UK.
Widow Louise Shackleton shares “heart-wrenching” details with the Daily Mirror of her last moments with her husband Anthony before his assisted suicide at Dignitas in Switzerland because she wants to help change the law in the UK.
For the Daily Express, it splashes on reports from experts in Glasgow that a new “revolutionary” weight loss drug could be a “cheap” and “convenient way” to fight type 2 diabetes. It says the drug could help patients “lose pounds without injections”.
Finally, the Daily Star features an image of England cricket legend Freddie Flintoff who talks about his “life after horror crash”. The paper also leads with the latest on the Birmingham bin strikes with its headline “not now seagulls”.
