| 30 July 2026, 00:40 BST

Several papers lead with declarations of drought across the UK, the third in five years. "Future looking droughtful for baking Britain", says the Metro, which reports that dry weather has impacted "more than half of the country", with millions more warned this is a "new normal". It also cites forecasts that it could be the "driest July on record", with England having had "just 7% of its expected rainfall" for the month.

The i Paper leads with official advice to "take a shorter shower to save water in drought" under a new Environment Agency plea to "save every drop". The agency warns that households are "using water faster than nature can replenish it", as experts caution "another year of dry weather may trigger formal water rationing measures".

Parched brown fields cover the front page of the Independent under the headline "Scorched earth Britain", with the paper noting that Wisely in Surrey has seen "43 days with no rain".

The Sun leads with reports of a "dinghy flotilla in Channel", writing that the boats carried "up to 1,000 migrants headed for Britain". Next to a photo of Prime Minister Andy Burnham, the paper asks: "How's that plan going, PM?" It adds that French authorities "admit waving migrants through", despite receiving "more than £1billion from UK taxpayers to stop them".

"Still say your boats plan is working, Andy?" continues the Daily Mail, after Burnham says the government's plan to stop small boats is "working".

"Campaigners devastated after Burnham says law on assisted deaths must wait," is the lead for the Daily Express. Those impacted by the hold up to assisted dying legislation say: "We don't have time for these delays." Elsewhere, "Zendaya wows with her Spider-Man" is written next to a photo of the actress on the red carpet for the new Marvel movie.

"Get tax rebate from your mayor," leads the Times, which reports that "local leaders may hand revenue back to residents under PM's radical devolution plans". It quotes Burnham previously describing the UK as "one of the most overcentralised countries in the world", as data shows that local authorities "receive just 5 per cent of the tax revenue raised in their areas, while 95 per cent goes directly to the Treasury".

Following Fifa boss Gianni Infantino's "£15bn sell-off" plans, the Daily Telegraph reports "calls grow for England to boycott World Cup". The paper refers to pressure on the FA after "England's governing body joined the Prime Minister and three other federations in criticising the plan". The proposal would involve selling World Cup stakes "to private investors, including a member of Donald Trump's family".

"Fed holds rates despite fears of price pressures from renewed Iran conflict" writes the Financial Times. The move "defies markets", although it says the "central bank hinted that rate rises could come as soon as September as a rapid rise in energy prices threatens to morph into a broader bout of inflation".

"PM Andy cheers up Fiona" writes the Daily Star, featuring a new photo of the retired broadcaster Fiona Phillips, who has Alzheimer's, shared by her husband Martin Frizzell. The paper quotes Frizzell saying the prime minister's social care speech "cheered up our morning".

The Daily Mirror leads with pleas from four "grieving mums", who ask: "Where are our babies?". The paper writes that it comes after the remains of their children were treated with "callous disregard" at the hands of funeral home director Robert Bush, who admitted to 67 offences, including failing to bury and cremate people, and giving out wrong ashes.

"Burnham puts Trident at heart of UK renewal" says the Guardian, writing that the new prime minister "intends to emphasise that defence spending on projects such as the £31bn Dreadnought-class vessels built in the Cumbrian town is a case study of taxpayer investment revitalising communities around the UK".

The Times , external says that some of England's metro mayors could hand money back to residents under the prime minister's devolution plans. The paper says the policy is being framed as a way to boost investment in public services and infrastructure but some Conservative and Reform UK mayors are instead planning to use fiscal devolution to lower the tax burden for their voters.

The Daily Mail , external and the Sun , external both have very similar front pages showing migrants crammed on to dinghies off the coast of France, noting that just a day earlier, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the plan to stop small boats was effective. "Still say your boats plan is working, Andy?" asks the Mail. The Sun quotes a French police officer, watching a boat setting off, as saying, "Our orders are to let them go."

The Sun , external says a British Airways passenger jet stalled about 4,000ft over London in "the most serious near miss in the UK for years". The paper understands the captain is grounded on stress leave after having to intervene to save the plane. BA is quoted as saying it is assisting the air accident investigation.

The Daily Telegraph , external says calls are growing for England to boycott the next World Cup over the Fifa president Gianni Infantino's plan to sell stakes in the competition to private investors. The paper says that if Infantino does not come to his senses, Uefa and the FA should withdraw from the organisation. Without their involvement, it says, there could be no World Cup worthy of the name. The Daily Mirror , external says Infantino promised to clean up Fifa. Instead, it concludes, he risks being remembered as the man who Americanised the World Cup and tried to sell football's crown jewels.

"The last laugh" is the Times's , external headline as it reports that the BBC is axing the comedy show Live at the Apollo after more than two decades, alongside Blankety Blank and Celebrity Mastermind. Ditching much-loved shows, warns the Daily Express , external , means the BBC's future will become even more precarious.

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