'Chinese stole secrets' and 'Andrew, Epstein and me'

The government’s publication of the advice in the collapsed China spying case came too late for many of the early editions, but the Guardian saw the documents - and says that while the third statement was similar to the language sought by prosecutors, they did not think it was sufficient to allow the case to proceed. The paper says the Director of Public Prosecutions told senior MPs that the statements were “five per cent less than the evidence threshold that was needed.” The Times says the documents are likely to intensify questions among MPs about why the prosecution did not go ahead. The Chancellor Rachel Reeves has told the Guardian that people should take scaremongering about her upcoming budget with a pinch of salt. “Of course we’re looking at tax and spending,” the Daily Mirror quotes her as saying - in what it calls her “clearest hint yet about her plans.” The Times adds that she has vowed to increase taxes on the wealthy, rather than cut public spending. The Daily Mail says she blames Brexit, austerity, Nigel Farage and the Conservatives for the tax hikes; “Is ANY of it your fault, Chancellor?” it asks . The Daily Telegraph notes the International Monetary Fund is projecting that taxes will rise faster in Britain than in any other G7 country over this Parliament. Many of the papers have been reading the posthumous book by one of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, Virginia Giuffre. The Mail says her memoir - entitled Nobody’s Girl - claims Prince Andrew thanked her after an alleged sexual encounter when she was seventeen. The Sun highlights a quote attributed to Epstein’s associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, who apparently told her “You did well… the Prince had fun.” The paper says Giuffre has damned the Duke of York from beyond the grave. Prince Andrew has always strongly denied the claims against him. The i Paper says a leaked memo has revealed that Labour plans to slash affordable home targets - in a bid to revive flatlining building levels. The paper says such a move would be needed to help the government meet its pledge to build 1.5 million new homes. “As if by magic,” notes the Guardian , potholes were repaired in a village in Devon ahead of the filming of a new TV adaptation of the Harry Potter books there. “Harry Pothole” is the Telegraph’s headline.

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