Newspapers train sights on banks

Banks' role in the economic turmoil is scrutinised across the papers.

The Daily Mirror accuses them of starving good businesses of cash - and putting "hard-working men and women out of work to satisfy their own greed".

The Independent argues the banks must be compelled to lend - more cheaply and more easily - to small firms.

But the Times thinks the government should resist the temptation to interfere - even with those banks which the state now partly owns.

'Public retribution'

The Financial Times makes a wry comment on the state of financial affairs.

A cartoon shows a small businessman telling his bank manager: "I don't need a loan - I just need you to spend some of your bonus in my shop."

The Guardian wants MPs to have powers of investigation to deliver "public retribution and forensic examination".

The Daily Telegraph's Jeff Randall also wants an inquiry. His target is "the dreadful state of Britain's finances" and the MPs that looked after them.

'Grievous bloody hypocrisy'

Many of the papers have reacted with fury to the admission that the official crime figures have been wrong.

Even the Labour-supporting Daily Mirror interprets it in the phrase the "police have hidden the true extent of violence on our streets for 10 years".

The Sun's front is dominated by the headline: "Grievous bloody hypocrisy."

The Daily Mail talks of a "devastating" blow to public trust. And what offends the Daily Star is the thought that MPs have been "taking us all for fools".

Dreams of luxury

In a glimmer of good news, the Daily Express promises a petrol price cut. It reports four big outlets are to sell unleaded at under 95p a litre.

And according to the Daily Star hard times do not kill off dreams of luxury.

The paper reports an American company is planning to build a new, Concorde-style, supersonic jet.

The designers say it could cut flying time from London to New York to three hours and be in service by 2015... If they can raise the cash to proceed.