The Papers: 'The lost generation' and 'toppling the past'

Image caption Several of Wednesday's front pages focus on the government's announcement that plans for all primary classes in England to return before the summer break have been dropped. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said he wants all children back to school by September, but the i newspaper reports he has been accused of being "asleep on the job".

Image caption The Daily Telegraph claims schoolchildren under the age of 15 are more likely to be hit by lightning than die from coronavirus, citing analysis by the universities of Oxford and Cambridge . It says scientists have called for a "rational debate" based on the "tiny" risk to children, amid pressure on the government to get pupils back into classrooms as quickly as possible. The paper also marks the Duke of Edinburgh's 99th birthday with a new portrait of him and the Queen.

Image caption "The Lost Generation" is the Daily Mirror's headline, as it declares the government "in chaos" over its plans for schools. The paper also pictures a Black Lives Matter protest in Oxford on Tuesday, where demonstrators demanded the removal of a statue of imperialist Cecil Rhodes. Anti-racism protests have continued in the UK following the death of George Floyd in the United States.

Image caption The Metro says critics have warned that a generation of children will be "left behind" due to plans for schools. It adds that Labour has expressed "deep dismay" at how the plans for bringing back pupils had been handled.

Image caption Meanwhile, the Guardian says cross-party MPs are calling for an urgent plan to get all pupils back to school in England from September, including support staff, the requisition of public buildings and extra help for disadvantaged students. The paper also pictures Mr Floyd's sisters Zsa Zsa and LaTonya Floyd during his funeral service in Houston, Texas, on Tuesday, alongside claims by the father of Stephen Lawrence that UK policing is still institutionally racist.

Image caption The Daily Mail splashes with full-page image of the removal of a statue of noted slaveholder Robert Milligan from outside the Museum of London Docklands on Tuesday. The newspaper says it marks the explosion of a "cultural revolution", as councils across Britain have announced they will review public monuments to ensure they are "appropriate".

Image caption The Times adds that dozens of statues of slave traders could be now pulled down, with 130 Labour councils saying they will work with communities to assess monuments in their areas of England and Wales. It adds that the leader of Oxford City Council has written to "invite" Oxford University to remove a statue of imperialist Cecil Rhodes.

Image caption Elsewhere, the Daily Express warns that 10 million people could be on NHS waiting lists by the end of 2020 due to delays caused by coronavirus. NHS Confederation projections show that the combination of social distancing, challenges around staffing and a backlog of treatments means the list is expected to rise from about 4.2 million currently to some 10 million by Christmas.

Image caption The Financial Times carries a warning by Vodafone that the UK's hopes of leading the world in 5G technology would be dealt a "terminal blow" if the government removes Huawei from the country's telecoms infrastructure. It comes amid a security review that could lead the UK government to ban use of the Chinese telecoms company's equipment.

Image caption And the Daily Star reports Little Britain has been removed from BBC iPlayer, Netflix and BritBox as objections resurfaced to some of the sketch show's characters.

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