Smiling Priti Patel and a government in ‘crisis’

Priti Patel’s resignation makes all of Thursday’s front pages and is widely seen as adding to the instability around Prime Minister Theresa May’s government.

“PM’s turmoil grows as Patel quits over Israeli meetings” is the Guardian’s front page headline.

“Another day, another crisis” is the Daily Telegraph splash.

The i newspaper says a vulnerable government has been weakened further by the loss of a key Brexit supporter.

For the Daily Mirror, the loss of Sir Michael Fallon as defence secretary last week followed by Ms Patel is confirmation of a disintegrating government.

The Times leads with the headline: “Fears government will collapse as Patel quits.”

It reports that EU leaders are preparing for the fall of Mrs May before the New Year.

According to the paper, fears are growing in Brussels that there’s a real prospect of a change of Conservative leadership or an election leading to a Labour victory.

It says all options in the Brexit negotiations are being considered, including a “no deal” disorderly exit and a reversal of the Brexit decision after fresh elections.

It says Ms Patel’s friends believe the Foreign Office was behind leaked details of her ill-fated trip to Israel because it wanted to kill off her attempt to change government policy towards the country.

The Telegraph says Ms Patel’s allies have warned that she feels she has been a “scapegoat” for a dysfunctional government.

One unnamed friend is quoted as saying: “She left for Uganda after apologising and being told she was safe. Now they are bowing to pressure.

“She could do some pretty hard damage to Downing Street.”

Ms Patel was ordered back from the official trip to Africa by the PM and summoned to Downing Street over the row.

The Mirror says the cross-continental farce of Ms Patel’s dismissal made Britain a global laughing stock.

The Daily Mail meanwhile says her return flight from Africa – and then the journey by car to Downing Street – was played out on 24-hour TV news and every social media platform.

After she had landed at Heathrow, the Spectator website says it was clear there was only one fate awaiting her.

The Mail leads with accusations by the family of the former Welsh minister, Carl Sargeant, that Labour leaders in Cardiff failed him by not specifying what allegations he faced when he was sacked.

Mr Sergeant was found dead at his home earlier this week.

“Thrown to the wolves”, is the paper’s front page headline.

Its leader column says it is a basic tenet of British law that the accused should know the charges against them and who is making the allegations .

It says Mr Sargeant was denied both these fundamental rights.

The Financial Times reports that Home Secretary Amber Rudd is leading a cabinet push to cut students from the government’s immigration targets.

The move, it says, puts her on a collision course with the prime minister.

According to the paper, Mrs May is said by one minister to be in a “minority of one” in the cabinet in believing that students must be counted in the target.

But the paper says Ms Rudd believes that unless she changes her mind, the government will be defeated over the issue in the Commons next year.

And finally The Sun leads on the £25m lottery win by a group of six hospital canteen staff.

Five of the six women quit their jobs at Neath Port Talbot Hospital after winning the jackpot.

The syndicate leader, Julie Saunders, tells the paper: “It’s someone else’s turn to cook the meals and serve them up.”

The paper reports that they promise to have “one hell of a Christmas”.