Newspaper headlines: 'Burnham faces perilous race' and 'WHO declares Ebola emergency'

Published: May 18, 2026 3:52 AM • Updated: May 18, 2026 4:07 AM • Original source

Images

1 / 16

2 / 16

3 / 16

4 / 16

5 / 16

6 / 16

7 / 16

8 / 16

9 / 16

10 / 16

11 / 16

12 / 16

13 / 16

14 / 16

15 / 16

16 / 16

The Makerfield by-election, in which Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is likely to stand as Labour's candidate, is on all the front pages.

The Times says Burnham's allies are accusing Wes Streeting of "sabotage" after the former health secretary's comments this weekend that Britain's future lies in the EU. It quotes one ally as saying that Streeting's stance is "counterproductive" to Labour winning the by-election. They add that "Wes's only hope at becoming the next leader is for Andy to lose the by-election". But a source close to Streeting suggests to the paper his stance is uncontroversial because the mayor of Greater Manchester had also backed rejoining the EU.

The Telegraph says it understands that Burnham will not campaign on reversing Brexit in his battle for the seat. It quotes a spokesperson for him as saying that he would be focusing on local issues, not standing on a "national manifesto".

The Guardian quotes allies of Burnham who are describing his race to win the by-election as "perilous". The paper says the outcome is likely to determine not only the immediate political future of Sir Keir Starmer, but also the "viability" of Labour as a whole.

The i Paper reports that the prime minister has spent the weekend at Chequers "considering his future", and that he's been in discussion with aides about whether he can "revive" the government or should announce a timetable for exit.

The Prince of Wales will sell off a fifth of his private estate, the Duchy of Cornwall, in the next decade, according to the Times, as the paper says he plans to invest in housing and nature. The Duchy is spread across 21 counties and has been given to every heir to the throne since the 14th century. The paper reports that Prince William's plans include funding the building of affordable homes in the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall and Kennington in south London and putting more than two hundred million pounds into wildlife projects.

The Guardian tells the story of the 1970 World Cup Panini sticker book which its owner has finally managed to complete, 56 years after he started it. Stephen Butler had left it in his loft, and on going through it realised it was still missing the sticker for Chile, which hosted the tournament in 1962. The paper says he found one for sale online for £150, and filled the book on the day that Fifa announced it would be ending its partnership with Panini, in 2030.