Papers assess Blair's speech

The headline "history will forgive us" is repeated with only slight variations in almost all of the broadsheets, as they examine what they see as Tony Blair's belief that posterity will be kind to Britain and America, even if no weapons of mass destruction are found in Iraq.

The Guardian says that the comments, in Mr Blair's speech to both houses of the United States' Congress on Thursday, will be seen as another watering down of Downing Street's previously tough stance on Iraq's weapons.

The Daily Mail agrees, claiming that Mr Blair's "chutzpah is breathtaking".

But The Times is impressed by the prime minister's speech and argues that the issue of weapons has become a distraction from the real task in Iraq .

"The priority", the paper says, "is to reconnect the electricity, revive the economy and rebuild the ruined infrastructure".

Trouble at home

The Daily Telegraph is also supportive of Mr Blair, expressing particular approval for his call for America and Europe to cooperate more closely in protecting their mutual interests.

The Financial Times goes as far as to say that the speech was the "most powerful evocation" so far of Mr Blair's belief in the need for harmonious relations between the two.

But as the prime minister plays his part on the world stage, many papers speculate on whether he has got big trouble brewing at home.

The Sun explains that an attack on his sanity in the New Statesman magazine is "astonishing" because the publication is owned by Geoffrey Robinson - the man the paper calls "Gordon Brown's closest pal".

The Daily Mirror believes that a challenge to Mr Blair's leadership from the Chancellor could be in the offing, saying that "the first shots have been fired and no amount of spin can hide the chasms which are opening up within the government".

Parents' bribe

The Daily Express is more interested in Labour's policies than its leadership.

It devotes its front page to attacking ministers for what it calls financial mis-management in the education and health departments.

It claims that hundreds of millions of pounds have been left unspent, instead of being passed onto schools and hospitals. The public is fast losing faith in the government, the papers warns.

The Independent carries the story of how the parents of twenty-somethings are increasingly bribing their offspring with thousands of pounds to leave the family home.

It seems that the attractions of cooked meals and freshly-laundered clothes are too much for many young graduates.

The Times has learnt of one mother who has taken the unusual step of moving out herself in order to solve the problem.

The paper says that Janet Mitchell now has a flat in Skipton and rents the four-bedroom family home to her 24-year-old son.

Tiger whimpers

The Sun reckons that lessons can be learnt from the fairly disastrous start made by Tiger Woods at the Open Golf championship.

The unfortunate star lost his ball with his first swing and needed seven shots to finish the first hole.

The paper believes that weekend golfers can take heart, reminding anyone who slices their first shot off the tee tomorrow that they can always say they were only doing a Tiger.