Papers turn on hedge fund managers

"They hunt as a pack and can bring down financial systems" says the Daily Mirror, describing the hedge fund managers widely blamed for bringing down HBOS.

The decision to halt short selling of bank shares - for which hedge funds are widely blamed - earns the prime minister praise from the Independent, which says, "It is almost as if Mr Brown were Chancellor again".

But the Sun likens the ban to ringing alarm bells as the Titanic sinks.

'Secret deal'

The Financial Times reports that news of Lloyds TSB's takeover of HBOS left a "mood of melancholic resignation" in Scotland, where HBOS employs 17,000 people.

But the Daily Express says some MPs suspect a "secret deal" may have been done to protect Scottish jobs at the expense of employees in England.

Ahead of the Glenrothes by-election the government does not want to "alienate" Scottish voters, says the Times.

Scotland's economy could be devastated by the takeover, adds the Scotsman.

'Plotters'

As Gordon Brown turns from the global economic crisis to party conference, the Independent says the results of a new survey will be a "crushing blow".

According to the poll of Labour activists, 54% want someone else to lead the party into the next election.

Their favoured successor was the foreign secretary, David Miliband.

Meanwhile, the Times says a common thread among anti-Brown MP "plotters" is that many also backed Hazel Blears in the deputy leadership contest.

'Shropshire ankle'

In other news the Daily Mail reports the words "statistics" and "ethnicity" are among the top ten most tricky to pronounce in the English language.

Researchers also found the most mispronounced word was "phenomenon".

And the Antiques Roadshow has become an unlikely source of controversy, according to the Daily Telegraph.

While admiring a painting, expert Rupert Maas referred to the subject's stocky lower leg as a "Shropshire ankle", which has upset some local females.