Papers diverge on migrants issue

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Many of the papers highlight a claim by campaign group Migrationwatch that the economic advantage of immigration has been exaggerated by the government.

The Sun says the benefit to the UK economy of 4p per person per week is not a lot for permanently changing the face of the country.

The Express says a wave of Bulgarian and Romanian immigration has started.

But the Independent has a different take on the issue, claiming that the predicted flood has not materialised.

Police theory

The Times, Sun and Guardian print the picture of a British man murdered in India last month.

Police say Stephen Bennett, 40, was attacked by a gang who believed he had propositioned a local married woman.

They say he may in fact have been asking for directions, but the Times reports that Mr Bennett's family are unhappy with the explanation.

They note their son was killed in an industrial town far from his planned destination, and say he was followed.

Skivers lambasted

Some of the newspaper editors show images of empty car parks, commuter hubs and city centres.

They are making the point that while they were working yesterday, a large number of their readers chose not to.

Under the headline "Britain takes a sickie", the Daily Mail says the numbers taking sick leave on 2 January was ten times the daily average.

The Federation of Small Businesses suggests to the Guardian that people are following the example of MPs.

Prezza bestseller?

The Mail picks up on John Prescott's hint on BBC Radio that he's preparing to write his memoirs.

It calculates that the deputy prime minister could make £1m from a book.

The paper says the book has the potential to be a best seller, partly because of what the Mail calls his chequered personal life.

But interest in his role as power broker between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown during their time in office will also interest some.