Newspaper headlines: Rip-offs and pressure selling By BBC News

Staff Published duration 5 April 2019

Concerns over the treatment of consumers keep Brexit off several of Friday's front pages.

For the Daily Mail, insurance companies that deny loyal customers the best premiums are the concern.

"For years, Money Mail has exposed the so-called loyalty rip-off, whereby insurers lure customers in with cheap deals only to then quietly hike their premiums at renewal time in the hope they will not notice," writes Victoria Bischoff

"This strategy can be beaten by those of us who have the time to shop around each year, as we can usually switch to a better deal. But anyone who lacks the internet know-how or is too busy to do the leg-work will end up paying over the odds."

Studying university practices

image copyright Getty Images

The i leads on Education Secretary Damian Hinds' condemnation of the practice of universities forcing applicants to select the institutions as their first choice in order to secure a guaranteed place.

The Daily Telegraph says these "conditional unconditional offers" could be in breach of consumer protection rules about aggressive selling.

In its leader, the Times says it's "no mystery why universities are resorting to such tactics" - largely because many are deeply in debt.

The paper says a review is needed of the entire university system to ensure it's serving the interests of both students and the country.

Network errors

Meanwhile, the Guardian says it's seen leaked plans for a government crackdown on harmful web content. According to the paper, social media executives could be held personally liable for content distributed on their platforms.

It says ministers will legislate for a new statutory duty of care, to be policed by an independent regulator and likely to be funded through a levy on media companies.

The Mail says the proposed changes will be welcomed by online safety campaigners.

It quotes the NSPCC saying "time's up for the social networks", which the charity claims have "failed to police themselves".

'Brexit stasis'

At Westminster, the Daily Telegraph suggests Prime Minister Theresa May is being pushed towards giving MPs a vote on holding another referendum as part of cross-party talks designed to find a way through the Brexit impasse.

It claims ministers have discussed the option of including a new referendum in a series of indicative votes, which would be held if Labour and the Tories fail to reach a consensus on a way forward.

The Conservative MP, Nigel Evans, is quoted as saying such a move would completely shatter "the little bit of credibility" Mrs May has left.

image copyright Mark Duffy/UK Parliament

The problem, as the paper sees it, is that a compromise Brexit agreement would be "too soft" for Eurosceptic Tories, while if it didn't include another referendum it would be too hard for some Labour MPs.

The number of potential rebels on both sides, the FT says, means "the parliamentary maths cannot be taken for granted".

Meanwhile, the Times says a number of cabinet ministers are plotting to prevent the prime minister agreeing to a long Brexit extension.

It says some fear Mrs May could agree to delaying the process by up to a year.

The paper reports Brexit-supporting ministers have held two so-called "pizza club" meetings in which they discussed tactics.

He says there's deep pessimism that talks between the Tories and Labour can secure a cross-party deal.

With European elections being held in May, and the potential of a new European Council president being appointed, he thinks it could be some time before the EU is ready to negotiate again.