Papers consider Tory hopefuls

Friday's papers have all got something to say about Michael Portillo's victory in the first round of the Conservative leadership contest.

The Times sums up the general view that it is now a three horse race, with Iain Duncan Smith and Kenneth Clarke the other contenders.

The Independent thinks Mr Portillo is now under pressure, the Guardian says he is hustling for votes, while the Daily Mail suggests his push for the leadership may have stalled.

The Daily Telegraph says he has admitted that, in order to win, he may have to persuade grassroots Tories to back him against their instincts.

And The Sun makes clear it does not want a Portillo victory, asking: "If he's the answer, what's the question".

Speaking out

Betty Boothroyd's anger over the government's handling of parliament explodes on to the front page of the Times.

The paper quotes the former speaker complaining about manipulation of the institution, with particular concern over the sacking of Gwyneth Dunwoody and Donald Anderson as select committee chairmen.

She is quoted as expressing outrage that ministers cannot stand the heat of criticism.

The paper suggests that the government is preparing to backtrack and reinstate the House of Commons' two.

'Importing poverty'

A blast from a different Labour MP provides the main headline for the Daily Express.

It quotes Ann Cryer, who represents Keighley in West Yorkshire, suggesting that immigrants should be allowed into Britain only if they speak English.

She apparently believes that cities like Bradford have been importing poverty when local residents bring in spouses from Pakistan or Bangladesh.

The Daily Star thinks the MP may be able to pass an English test, but says she is one person West Yorkshire would be better off exporting.

Drug death

The perils of the drug, ecstasy, are recounted in graphic detail on the front page of the Mirror.

Its headline "109-point-four Fahrenheit" says that was the temperature of 19-year-old Lorna Spinks when she died after taking the drug.

The Sun quotes an ambulance man at her inquest speaking of a look of "sheer horror and fright" on the face of the dying student.

Back to the front

Also in The Sun is the story of British war veteran, Don Higgins, who helped capture a German town in 1945 - and returned 56 years later for eye surgery which he apparently could not get soon enough on the NHS in Britain.

The 77-year-old veteran was said to be going blind from cataracts but was told he would have to wait a year for surgery on the health service or pay to go private.

The Sun says simply; "there can be no clearer case for wide scale reform of the NHS".

Unlucky for some?

Finally, as all triskaidekaphobics know, it is Friday the 13th - and the Daily Mail feels the need to reassure susceptible readers that things may not all go wrong.

While pointing out a number of bad things about Friday the 13th, like a survey suggesting more road accidents, the paper also lists some good things, like military victories.

It notes that other cultures fear different numbers, arguing that not all can be bad, otherwise there would be no room for good luck.