George Osborne's father-in-law has told shocked peers that fracking should be carried out in the North East of England where there are "large, uninhabited and desolate areas." Lord Howell was energy secretary under Margaret Thatcher.
Two newspapers in the north have reacted angrily to the news that a Conservative peer said that countryside in the south should be sparred fracking in favour of areas in the "desolate" north.
The Northern Echo said it "welcomes his lordship's embarrassing, belated and entirely necessary climbdown from his lofty position of ignorance and prejudice."
The Journal linked Lord Howell to his son-in-law the Chancellor George Osborne.
The Democratic presidential candidate may also have shown his cards on his choice of running mate.
The US president also shared a post on Twitter accusing Dr Anthony Fauci of misleading the public over hydroxychloroquine.
Fears over an impending second wave of coronavirus dominates Wednesday’s front pages.