What the papers say – January 9

A warning from the Home Secretary about the importance of new police powers and the latest comments on the Northern Ireland Protocol feature on the front pages today.

The Sunday Times says free lateral flow tests will be dramatically scaled back in a strategy of “living with Covid” to be announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson within weeks. The paper adds free tests may only be provided in high-risk settings such as care homes, hospitals and schools and to people with symptoms.

The Observer runs comments from former vaccine taskforce chairman Dr Clive Dix on its front page. Dr Dix said he thinks the UK should move away from mass population-based vaccination drives after the current booster campaign in favour of an objective of “stopping progression to severe disease in vulnerable groups”.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is cited by The Sunday Telegraph as saying she will use Article 16 and overhaul the Northern Ireland Protocol if she cannot reach a “negotiated solution” with the EU over the matter. The comments come ahead of Ms Truss’s first meeting with her EU counterpart Maros Sefcovic on Thursday.

The Sunday Express splash features an interview with Home Secretary Priti Patel who warns the House of Lords not to “water down” new police powers under consideration.

The Independent reports oil and gas firms were invited by the Government to help consider whether new drilling projects would comply with the UK’s climate targets.

Sunday People reports Star Hobson’s murderer Savannah Brockhill has joked in prison about killing others.

The Sunday Mirror, meanwhile, says Danny Dyer is leaving EastEnders.

And the Daily Star Sunday reports illusionist Uri Geller believes he has located the Lost Ark.