Papers see Middle Britain uprising

Crime and the death penalty preoccupy Monday's papers.

The Daily Express and the Daily Mail express their support for personal remarks made by the new shadow home secretary David Davis, calling for the death penalty in some cases.

The Express believes Mr Davis has placed himself at the head of what it calls "a Middle Britain uprising".

The Mail is also convinced that he has struck a chord with the public.

What's more, the paper says, he has ended the "cross-party conspiracy of silence" which has kept the death penalty off the political agenda for the past decade.

The Daily Mirror, though, is appalled. The death penalty, it claims, does nothing for law and order.

Crime is having an effect on rural life in Britain, according to the Daily Telegraph.

"For a long time we have thought of the countryside as a haven," says the leader column in the Daily Telegraph.

"Yet it may be reverting to its medieval role as a haunt for brigands."

The main report on its front page says burglaries in the countryside have trebled since 1983 - while offences in urban areas have dropped to the levels of 20 years ago.

Crime surge

Inside, over two pages, the Telegraph tells a story of stately homes being broken into - and of a family of travellers who many believe are to blame, although they deny any involvement.

The paper wants more police, longer jail sentences - and people to be allowed to defend their properties.

You can find more concern about crime in the Times - in this instance, mingled with its reservations about the European Union.

The paper claims to have seen a report by the European law agency, Europol, which predicts a big surge in organised crime next year when 10 new countries join the EU.

The report has been sent to member states - and identifies criminal gangs in the former Communist bloc countries as posing the greatest threat to the union.

Cameras

The Guardian says the first step towards the routine televising of court cases could be taken soon.

Senior judges have apparently agreed to consider allowing the filming of an appeal hearing - mainly because there are no witnesses who could be affected by the presence of cameras.

The former Master of the Rolls, Lord Donaldson, tells the paper: "There's no harm in doing a pilot."

He does point out, however, that while some criminal appeals could prove popular, civil cases would be "too boring" for viewers.

'Goldenboots'

An audience of millions is guaranteed for next weekend's rugby union World Cup final between England and Australia.

There are varying estimates on how many pubs will seek licences to start serving at nine o'clock in the morning, when the game kicks off.

The Daily Star says 15,000 pubs will open early; the Express goes for 20,000.

The Sun says only a handful of seats are available on BA flights to Australia for the rest of the week.

And when fans get there, they will find all the hotel rooms in Sydney are already booked.

The Daily Mail reckons Jonny Wilkinson - who scored all England's points in yesterday's semi-final victory over France - can expect to earn up to £5m if his team win.

"Goldenboots," as the paper calls him, will become the first rugby star to compete with the bank balances of football's top players.