What the papers say – October 1

A variety of political stories again feature across the front pages of Sunday’s newspapers as the Conservative Party conference gets underway in Manchester.

The Sunday Telegraph concentrates on an interview with new defence secretary Grant Shapps in which he reveals he has held talks with Army chiefs about British forces being deployed in Ukraine for the first time to train troops. Royal Navy ships could also operate in the Black Sea.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman features on the front of The Mail on Sunday as she “lets rip” at “pampered, out-of-touch” celebrities – including Sir Elton John and Gary Lineker – for criticising her immigration policy.

Immigration also features on the front page of The Sunday Times as it reports on Business Secretary Kemi Badenock saying the Conservatives need to have an “honest conversation” about quitting the European Convention on Human Rights as it details a number of key items on the conference agenda.

Among them is a plan for more than 50 towns to receive a £1.1 billion windfall to revive their high streets, which is the focus of the Sunday Express.

The Independent has bad news for the Conservatives as it quotes leading pollster Professor John Curtice warning of a “wake” at the conference and an election wipeout unless they fix the economy and stop concentrating on “wedge issues”.

There is more bad poll news in The Observer, which says a new poll shows voters who switched to the Tories in 2019 is switching allegiance, but the paper leads on news the Department for Education is keeping files on the social media activity of educational experts.

The Sunday People revisits one of the week’s big stories as it says relatives of teenager Elianne Andam have left moving tributes at the scene of her stabbing in Croydon.

“Somalia’s forgotten children” are the focus of the Sunday Mirror, which says 1.5 million youngsters are facing extreme hunger as the country suffers its worst drought.

The Sun on Sunday concentrates on Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville splitting from his wife.

And the Daily Star Sunday reports on an England footballer insisting on keeping his socks on.