What the papers say – May 20

The nation’s papers are led by concerns over how the Indian coronavirus variant may affect the further easing of lockdown restrictions.

The Guardian, and The Independent report surge testing and vaccinations have been deployed in coronavirus hotspots as the Government battles to keep the more transmissible Indian variant under control, ahead of the planned further easing of lockdown restrictions next month.

The Times says Prime Minister Boris Johnson is “increasingly optimistic” restrictions can still end on June 21 as planned.

Meanwhile, the i carries images from Heathrow Airport showing passengers from red-list countries tightly packed with passengers from non-red-list countries, as the Daily Mail reports enforcement is being increased to ensure people returning from amber countries obey their 10-day quarantine.

Holiday confusion also features on the front of the Daily Star.

Elsewhere, The Daily Telegraph leads with a probe into the BBC Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales, saying it is expected to find journalist Martin Bashir “guilty of deceit”.

The Sun says a friend of Diana’s claims Mr Bashir “conned” the late Princess of Wales into giving the interview by telling her it would be about her charity work.

Metro reports the rail industry is set to undergo its “biggest shakeup in 25 years”, with a rollout of flexible season tickets and digital ticketing to reflect post-pandemic working patterns.

A “host” of male celebs are facing sex abuse claims in the wake of allegations against Noel Clarke coming to light, according to the Daily Mirror.

The Daily Express reports special forces veterans are facing investigation and possible trials over the Troubles – 40 years after serving in Northern Ireland.

And the Financial Times leads with the falling price of Bitcoin after China signalled a crackdown on cryptocurrency.