Britain's Sunday newspapers go into election overdrive

Fleet Street went into overdrive Sunday with its front pages dominated by the snap general election called by Prime Minister Theresa May.

The main political parties are keeping the 48.8 million voters guessing ahead of the publication of their manifestos, the things they promise to do if elected.

Instead there are hints, guesses and speculation at what will be in the forthcoming documents.

Television and radio channels in Britain are governed by rules, known as purdah, which govern how election campaigns are covered. This is to ensure fairness in how broadcasters approach the election.

Newspapers are allowed to say what they like, and even nail their colors to any political mast of their choosing.

UKIP, the party formed nearly 30 years ago to campaign for Britain to quit the European Union, made headlines Sunday ahead of publication of its election blueprint.

Leader Paul Nuttall said in a television interview Sunday that UKIP would seek to ban full veils worn by some Muslim women. Women wearing a burka or niqab in public, which Nuttall contended was a barrier to integration and a security risk, would face a fine. UKIP, he said, would also propose outlawing sharia law.

UKIP does not currently have any MPs in the House of Commons, but nevertheless, remains a significant force in Britain's political landscape.

On the front pages, the Sunday Express headline claimed 1 in 7 Labor voters had turned Conservative. It said its exclusive poll was showing party faithful were deserting Labor under its current leader Jeremy Corbyn. Its report said Britain was on course for a political earthquake.

The traditional Labor-supporting Sunday Mirror said the governing Conservatives, led by Theresa May, now had an opinion poll rating of 50 percent, the highest level since 1991.

The rival Mail on Sunday, though, dashed hopes of a landslide victory for May, describing as a bombshell, its own poll showing her poll rating had dropped by 11 points, fueled by her refusal to rule out higher taxes or guarantees that pension levels would be protected.

The Sunday Telegraph's main front page story claims Labor leader Corbyn would put Britain at a terror risk. It quotes Conservative election campaign chief Sir Patrick McLoughlin, saying Britain would not be safe under Corbyn "because he cannot take difficult decisions surrounding a terrorist attack".

A second front page story says May is stoking fears that she is planning to raise taxes.

The Sunday Times' headline story "May parks her battle tanks on Labor's lawn" says Conservatives are poised to set out a bold social vision for Britain that will position the Conservatives firmly on ground usually occupied by the main opposition Labor party.

In his first major television interview of the campaign Corbyn said he would end business as usual in domestic and foreign policies.

Corbyn said while he supported NATO and wanted to boost Britain's armed forces, he would be seeking a better relationship with Russia and opposed any further air strikes in Syria and Iraq.

He faced a grilling over his opposition to renewing Britain's Trident nuclear deterrent, saying Labor's policy was not settled and the party's manifesto had not yet been agreed.

Although May and the Conservatives are hot favorites to win the election on June 8, Corbyn won't concede defeat, instead saying "watch this space". Endit