The Papers: 'The Sun, the Moon' and 'The greatest show on Earth'

The front pages of various newspapers were dominated by images from the solar eclipse. The Daily Telegraph referred to it as "the greatest show on Earth", while the i Paper dubbed it a "heavenly wonder". The Daily Mail noted that Britain had finally experienced a break from the sun, even if just briefly. The Sun's front page featured only the paper's name in its traditional masthead style, followed by the thin crescent of light visible during the eclipse and the words "The Moon".

John Lewis reported a 40% increase in colander sales, as people sought to safely observe the sun's progress using the utensils. Unlike special eclipse glasses, a John Lewis spokesperson said, the colanders could be used to strain spaghetti afterwards. The Daily Mirror reported that hundreds of observers gathered in Greenwich Park, with one reveller noting that "Champagne corks were popping" at the peak of the eclipse.

The Guardian highlighted a warning from the Royal College of Nursing that its members were working under inhumane conditions due to high temperatures. The paper suggested this should serve as a wake-up call, and the Prime Minister was being pressed to acknowledge the need to adapt to a changing climate. The Daily Telegraph reported that the government's plans to house asylum seekers in wealthier areas of the country would cost more than current arrangements.

The government maintained that it seeks to fairly house asylum seekers across the UK. The Times reported that the government's own analysis of its plans to restrict zero hours contracts suggested they would drive up costs for businesses by up to three billion pounds a year. The government stated that it was consulting on the proposals and committed to giving workers greater income security.

The Financial Times reported on tensions in England and Scotland's rural communities, where residents expressed concerns that the cultivation of heather, used as a food source for grouse, posed a health risk due to its flammability in dry conditions.