What the papers say – August 19

The Government’s U-turn over A-levels, and the search for accountability from the Education Secretary, dominates the papers.

The Guardian reports “parents and teachers have lost faith in Gavin Williamson’s competence” to lead a safe return to England’s schools after his role in the “exam results fiasco”.

Mr Williamson is cast in the Daily Mail as “the man who won’t take the blame”, while Metro says the Education Secretary is “Gavin a laugh”.

The Daily Star issues a search for the “crisis-hit” Prime Minister, who it says has become “The Invisible Man” in recent days.

But the i says Boris Johnson has rejected Mr Williamson’s offer to resign and instead backed the embattled minister.

The Daily Telegraph reports universities have warned the Government they will need extra funds if they are to cope with the influx of students “after the climbdown over A-levels”.

The story continues in The Independent which says students are “still in the dark” about their tertiary futures, while The Times reports thousands “will be forced to defer” university study for a year over the U-turn.

On the first anniversary of Harry Dunn’s death, the teenager’s mother pleads in the Daily Mirror for his alleged killer to “do the right thing” and return to Britain to face justice.

Experts warn in the Daily Express of a jobs “bloodbath” on the High Street with up to 300,000 roles at risk.

And the Financial Times reports Wall Street’s benchmark stock index “struck an all-time high” on Tuesday despite investor unease over the US economy.