The Papers: ‘Threat to gender law’ and ‘stay away’ from nan

Many front pages focus on the new legislation in Scotland making it easier to change gender.

The Scottish Daily Mail calls it “a dark day for women”. It says there are worries about the safety of women and children.

The Scotsman reports that powers to block legislation on devolved matters could be used for the first time by the UK government in an attempt to roll back the new law. It notes that “the threat” from Scottish Secretary Alister Jack almost immediately followed the Scottish Parliament’s overwhelming backing of the legislation.

The Guardian says Westminster has made clear it would consider a “nuclear option” of blocking the bill going for Royal Assent. The paper says it’s a “significant escalation” that brings tensions around transgender rights into the constitutional arena.

The Times reports that senior government figures at Westminster fear the law could have profound effects in England, as well as north of the border. It says they are worried it could allow biologically male Scottish inmates in English jails, including rapists, to demand to be placed in women’s prisons, and lead to what it calls “gender tourism”.

The i newspaper leads with plans for further NHS mass strikes in January, saying that medics are digging in for a battle with No 10. The paper reports that junior doctors are poised to join nurses and ambulance staff on hospital picket lines. But the Conservative former health secretary and chancellor Kenneth Clarke tells the i that ministers should “weather the storm” – saying “we cannot return to the situation of 40 years ago”.

The Daily Telegraph’s main story claims that “appalling” blunders by the probation service meant that a multiple child murderer was “free to kill”. The paper says a probation officer assessed Damien Bendall as “medium risk” rather than “high risk” for a judge in an arson case, and he received a suspended sentence three months before going on to kill his partner and three children in September last year. The paper alleges the officer has now been sacked. The Ministry of Justice will not comment on the case while a review is under way.

A $14bn deal that will see Google screen NFL American football games on its YouTube platform is highlighted by the Financial Times. The paper says the sale epitomises the growing shift away from expensive cable TV packages towards streaming services.

The Daily Mirror leads with concerns that the King’s Christmas walkabout at Sandringham might be hit by protests, after a string of incidents recently. According to the paper, royal security chiefs have ordered a review of his safety. Buckingham Palace and the Metropolitan Police have both said they do not comment on security matters.

The Daily Express reports that a last-minute spending spree will give High Streets a much-needed boost of £2.6bn after what it calls a year of misery. The paper says who can blame Britain for going on a spending spree and insists “we will have a merry” Christmas.