UK's Afghanistan strategy debated

"Bags of gold are the new weapons of choice in Afghanistan," according to the Times, which says UK soldiers are being told to buy off potential Taliban recruits.

The revelation comes after Gordon Brown gave a major speech on the conflict to the Lord Mayor's banquet in London.

The Guardian thinks the next thing Mr Brown must do is set a date to withdraw - "It would reassure the armed forces and an anxious public," the paper adds.

The Financial Times says he has certainly made it clear that "crucial decisions" on the conflict must be made "within weeks".

'Game of charades'

Several papers take aim at the Queen's speech, which is due to take place on Wednesday.

The Daily Express calls it "a political circus that is an insult to Her Majesty", claiming it forces her to "spout Labour's socialist creed".

In a similar vein, the Daily Mail says it drags the Queen into "a game of charades" and "cynical electioneering".

"Instead of forcing the sovereign to read out the first draft of their manifesto, shouldn't they be asking her to dissolve this discredited Parliament?" it asks.

'Poisonous' claims

The Daily Telegraph front page says the UK taxpayer has given £600,000 to some of Britain's most dangerous terror suspects to cover their living costs.

The paper says the "handout" is for those under control orders - a regime which has been "frequently criticised".

Elsewhere, the Independent leads with claims from the Baha Mousa inquiry that UK soldiers mistreated Iraqi detainees.

"The Army will ultimately benefit from this scrutiny," it argues, because such abuse is "poisonous" to its reputation.

'Icy stare'

Tuesday's papers also pay tribute to actor Edward Woodward, who has died aged 79.

"Alas, ill health stacked the odds against the start of The Equalizer," the Daily Mirror's leader says.

The Sun agrees that from "avenging vigilante" in The Equalizer to his last appearance in EastEnders, "the much-loved veteran" will be sorely missed.

"With his icy stare," says the Daily Mail, he was "the chicken farmer's son who cornered the market in assassins".