Bush prepares for UK visit

There is no doubt in the Daily Telegraph's view that President Bush has adopted a conciliatory tone as he prepares for his state visit to Britain next week.

In an interview with the paper's editor, and two other senior British journalists invited inside the famous Oval Office at the White House, the president insisted he had no intention of rushing into war with North Korea or Iran.

His comments, the paper concludes, appear to be directed at the anti-war protestors in the UK.

In fact, the Times reports, the president believes it is fantastic that the British people are allowed to demonstrate.

''Freedom is a beautiful thing,'' he tells the paper. ''And the fact that people are willing to come out and express themselves says I'm going to a great country.''

The Mirror pours cold water on the sentiments, arguing that although the president may say he is not afraid of protest, his security chiefs have been demanding a virtual shut-down of London.

Immigration doubling

The Guardian leads with a story covered by many papers that hundreds of thousands of migrants working illegally in the hidden economy may be given the chance to become legitimate.

But the paper says the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, has ruled out a general amnesty.

That is not a version shared by the Express which offers the stark front page headline: ''Asylum. They Can All Stay.''

The Sun focuses on the figures - that immigration has doubled since Labour won power six years ago, with nearly a quarter of a million ''flocking'' to Britain last year.

By contrast, the Financial Times points out that the ''net inflow'' fell last year because of a sharp rise in the number of people leaving the country.

In all, it says 153,000 more people arrived in Britain than left.

Hodge row

The Mirror and the Mail both agree that Margaret Hodge is ''on the brink'' of leaving her job as children's minister.

Whitehall sources have told both papers that her future is hanging in the balance after the BBC revealed she had described a child abuse victim as "extremely disturbed".

According to the Sun, the ''discredited'' minister is now an albatross around Tony Blair's neck.

Potato fears

The human cost of the discovery of the highly contagious potato ring rot disease is highlighted in the Times.

The farmer at the centre of the discovery of the bacterium, which is to potatoes what foot-and-mouth is to cattle, is said to be devastated that he is likely to lose his entire crop worth £500,000.

John Morgan is said to have wept after officials said he might not be allowed to grow potatoes for another five years.

The Express considers the wider costs - predicting that crisps as well as fish and chip suppers could now soar in price.

Hairdresser adviser

Finally, many papers recount the story of the hairdresser who starting receiving e-mails from Tony Blair.

The premier was not asking Ronnie Campbell - who happens to have the same name and nearly the same e-mail address as the Labour MP for Blyth Valley - about the latest hairstyle.

As the Independent reports, Mr Blair actually asked what he thought of his speech he was about to make to the party conference.

The hairdresser replied: "It's very good. Just go ahead with it."