Monday newspaper round-up: Brexit, jobs, Flybmi, trains
By Digital Look
Date: Monday 18 Feb 2019
(Sharecast News) - Theresa May is braced for "howls of rage" as ministers finalise tariffs that would apply if there is no Brexit deal. Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, wants a move to zero tariffs in as many areas as possible, but other ministers are demanding protection for producers, including farmers, who would struggle to compete with cheaper imports from outside the EU. - The Times
Growing skills shortages in the UK jobs market are starting to drive up wages, according to a survey, as more companies across the country report difficulties finding staff. In a sign that workers' pay is gradually rising after a "lost decade" of sluggish growth since the financial crisis, private-sector employers said they were expecting to award annual pay increases of about 2.5% on average this year, up from 2% at the end of last year. - Guardian
The Chancellor may be forced to abandon his borrowing targets as a combination of economic slowdown, political uncertainty and rising pressure to run a spending spree all put pressure on the public finances, KPMG has warned. Even if the global slump is short-lived, Philip Hammond could see a £12bn dent in the borrowing forecasts, according to economists' new estimates. - Telegraph
Flybmi is advising customers to seek refunds from credit and debit card companies or rebook with other airlines after the company collapsed late on Saturday, leading to the cancellation of thousands of journeys. On Sunday night, it emerged that Flybmi's Glasgow-based sister company Loganair, which flies to the Scottish Highlands and Islands as well as to a small number of destinations in England, Ireland and Scandinavia, was poised to step in and take over five of Flybmi's routes from next month. - Guardian
Veganuary has been blamed for poor performance in pubs and restaurants last month, with sales slumping after a strong Christmas. Like-for-like sales slid 1.8pc compared with last January, which experts said was a big disappointment given the comparative lack of snow or significantly bad weather. - Telegraph
The affordability of housing in Britain is improving at the fastest rate since 2011, according to analysis. The latest monthly index by Rightmove, the property website, showed that houses were being newly advertised at prices that on average were 0.2 per cent higher than 12 months earlier. - The Times
Traditional peak-time rail fares face the axe under the biggest reform of the ticketing system in more than 20 years. A report published today recommends that the present "cliff edge" between peak and off-peak fares be abolished in favour of more regular pricing throughout the day. - The Times
Retailers have demanded that HM Revenue and Customs halts enforcement action against employers that it deems have breached pay rules, claiming that the system is "no longer fit for purpose". Amid mounting anger over the enforcement of minimum wage regulations, industry leaders branded the taxman "unreasonable" for continuing to chase businesses while ministers review regulations. - The Times
Britain and Germany are at loggerheads over plans to let Royal Dutch Shell abandon oil platform legs in the North Sea. Last month the government endorsed the oil major's plans to leave the concrete legs of three platforms and the steel footings of a fourth at the Brent field, about 186km northeast of Shetland. - The Times
The European Union's top diplomat in Washington has warned that punitive American tariffs on vehicle imports could "backfire politically" on President Trump if he decides to impose them. David O'Sullivan, the EU ambassador to the United States, said that tariffs would have a "knock-on effect" on the carmaking industry in the United States, where there was "a lot of concern" over their likely impact. - The Times
The government is being urged to prevent consumer safety standards from slipping after Brexit, to avoid putting lives at risk from the growing number of potentially dangerous counterfeit electrical goods coming into the UK. As the country edges closer to leaving the EU, the charity Electrical Safety First (ESF) wants the government to prioritise consumer safety and protection, regardless of the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, which could be the UK crashing out without a deal. - Guardian
UK security chiefs have advised that the risk of using Huawei technology in the new superfast 5G could be contained despite US warnings about opening the telecoms network up to Chinese cyber-espionage, according to sources. The US has reportedly been pressuring the UK and other allies not to use Huawei technology for critical infrastructure, arguing that it could be too risky when the Chinese state is engaged in spying. - Gaurdian
The era of internet self-regulation must come to an end, MPs have said in a report that calls for Facebook and Google to face fines for failing to remove harmful content. Tech companies should have a compulsory code of ethics enforced by a independent regulator with statutory powers to launch legal action, a Commons committee says. - The Times
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