Papers return to NHS problems

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The Times and the Daily Telegraph take their lead from the state of the NHS.

The Times reports that as hospitals struggle to balance their books for the end of the financial year, patients are being denied basic treatments.

Those include common complaints such as varicose veins and wisdom teeth, which are being left untreated.

The Telegraph reveals that a leaked government document is forecasting the NHS faces a severe shortage in nurses and GPs in the next few years.

Life under Brown

The Express says a leaked document calculates that 37,000 jobs will need to be cut, exposing Labour's catastrophic mishandling of the NHS.

The Guardian has been doing some forecasting of its own, looking at what life will be like under Gordon Brown.

The paper says the Brown camp fears his time at No 10 may be blighted by the aftermath of the Iraq war.

It suggests he will make free universal education and combating climate change the two pillars of foreign policy.

Chaotic execution

The Independent on its front page, accuses Tony Blair and George Bush of turning Saddam Hussein from a monster into a martyr.

It says the chaotic execution has led to international sympathy for a man it describes as a murderous tyrant.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail is accusing BA of profiting from passengers whose baggage was lost during recent fog-induced flight cancellations.

The paper says those tracing their cases have to phone premium-rate lines.

Catty remarks

The tabloids are anticipating their annual feeding frenzy as celebrity Big Brother starts.

But catty remarks are in short supply so far as the papers are content to wait until it is apparent who can be painted in the worst light.

Cult film director Ken Russell is described as "a genius" in the Mirror and the Sun cannot even bring itself to be cruel about Carole Malone.

The Sunday Mirror columnist is the first tabloid writer to take part.