Papers pile pressure on Brown

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If the prime minister really wants to enjoy his holiday in East Anglia, he should stay away from the newsagents.

"Gordon Brown is finished," writes Bruce Anderson in the Independent. "He is in office, but not in power."

Jackie Ashley writes in the Guardian: "Only one thing is clear; it's over for Gordon."

However, the Daily's Mirror's Kevin Maguire tells Labour MPs that running around like headless chickens shouting "ditch the leader" is "summer madness".

Money saving

Those looking for indicators of the credit crunch or recession do not need to study the financial pages.

According to the Sun, a poll has shown that 31% of people are taking showers instead of baths to save money.

Some 40% are using the car less, 66% are turning lights off and 15% are growing their own vegetables.

The Daily Mirror adds that more people are making packed lunches - a supermarket has reported increased sales of lunch boxes and sandwich bags.

Homes forecasts

House prices will rise by 25% over the next five years, according to the Daily Express.

It says a National Housing Federation report shows that demand is growing while the supply of new housing has fallen dramatically.

The story is reported in the Daily Mail as well.

However, it gives more prominence to a forecast from a respected city economist that house prices could fall by more than 30% by 2010.

Alcohol concern

According to the Guardian, the drinks industry has "torn up" a voluntary code banning what it calls "aggressive happy hour deals" in half the UK's pubs.

The police and Alcohol Concern are said to be dismayed - and want the government to step in.

The Daily Telegraph reports that beer sales in pubs have fallen to their lowest since the Great Depression, while sales in supermarkets are rising.

The Sun says cash-strapped drinkers are supping supermarket booze at home.