What the papers say – May 5

Calls for an end to “witch hunts” against former military personnel and a dire outlook for Labour in Hartlepool are among an assortment of stories on the nation’s front pages.

The Daily Telegraph, Daily Express and the Daily Mail lead on ministers being told to stop witch hunts against veterans following the acquittal of two former paratroopers over the murder 50 years ago of an IRA gunman.

Elsewhere, data has revealed a collapse in support for Labour, with only 40% of past backers likely to vote for the party’s candidate in Thursday’s Hartlepool byelection, according to The Guardian.

And the party’s leader Sir Keir Starmer is “under fire” due to the polling which predicts a “historic loss” in Hartlepool, says The Independent.

In pandemic news, people older than 50 will be offered a third coronavirus jab before winter, according to The Times.

The i splashes on the UK’s “green list” for holiday destinations being released this Friday as the Foreign Office unexpectedly relaxes some travel advice.

Meanwhile, Metro leads on the trial of a policeman on murder and manslaughter charges over the death of former Aston Villa footballer Dalian Atkinson.

The Daily Mirror leads on two “gas blast heroes” who rescued a 99-year-old woman after her “house exploded”.

The Financial Times says US Treasury secretary Janet Yellen fuelled a sell-off of tech shares by raising the prospect of interest rate rises.

And the Daily Star leads on news from Nasa that humanity has “no chance of surviving an asteroid collision”.