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Page last updated at 05:22 GMT, Friday, 16 October 2009 06:22 UK

Focus on primary schools policy

Papers

Many of the papers see a report on primary education as highly critical of the government's education policies.

""Too much too young" , is The Guardian's take on recommendations to delay formal classes until children turn six and scrap Sats tests in England.

The Daily Mail claims that Labour's centralised control and an obsession with testing has politicised schools and dragged down standards.

The Independent says pupils do not get a better education than the Victorians.

The return of big profits in financial markets has the papers' attention.

£500-a-head meals of foie gras and caviar are now "back in vogue in the City reports the Daily Mail.

The gap between a resurgent Wall Street and the wider economy is posing a major challenge for President Obama, says the Financial Times.

At home the Sun predicts ""savage and demoralising cuts" for the army as ministers look for savings across government departments.

More accountable

The papers are predicting changes in the balance of political power.

The Guardian says "Lord Mandelson could be one front bench peer to go before MPs in an attempt to make the House of Lords more accountable.

The Times welcomes Tory plans to give ministers more power over Whitehall, despite the "alarm" of civil servants.

The paper says many government departments act like "surly teenagers" by refusing to talk to each other and only looking out for themselves.

Meanwhile the Daily Mirror predicts TV property expert Kirstie Allsopp could be awarded a peerage - a "relocation, relocation, relocation" to the House of Lords.

A bigger-than-expected surge in swine flu infections gets widespread coverage in the newspapers.

The Guardian says health officials are concerned at a 50 % rise in cases in one week.

Pregnant women are being urged to take the vaccine after two expectant mums died , reports the Daily Express.

The Times says pregnant women will be among the first to be vaccinated when a national immunisation programme starts next week.



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