Parents should be banned from smacking children, according to the Children's Commissioner for England. Maggie Atkinson told The Independent it was her view that the law gives pets and adults more rights to be protected from violence than children.
Head of Child Protection Operations at the NSPCC, John Cameron, says children have a "greater likelihood" to be involved in criminal and anti-social behaviour if "they have been in receipt of smacking as a standard form of parenting".
Speaking with ITV News, Mr Cameron said smacking does not have a positive, long-term impact on children.
"This is not about prosecuting, persecuting and criminalising parents, but it's about giving a very strong message in our society that children should have the same rights as adults in law to be protected from physical assaults," he said.
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.