Newspaper headlines: Northern Irish 'compromise' and BA 'mega strike' By BBC News

Staff Published duration 13 September 2019

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A potential shift in the DUP's Brexit red lines leads the Times, which says the move could help Boris Johnson unlock a deal with Brussels.

The party is reported to have said for the first time that it would accept Northern Ireland abiding by some EU rules after the UK leaves, as part of a new agreement to replace the Irish backstop.

A government source has told the Times the move is "significant" but a deal is still "a long way off".

The paper says Mr Bercow "lambasted" the idea that Boris Johnson could even consider ignoring legislation which mandates him to seek a three-month Brexit delay if there's no deal with the EU by mid-October, in what it calls a "dramatic intervention".

Meanwhile, the Independent website claims to have seen a leaked draft document from the European Parliament , which shows the hostile environment policy employed by the Home Office is "making things worse" for EU citizens ahead of Brexit.

'British Scareways'

With the headline "British Scareways" , the Sun says BA pilots are plotting a ten-day "mega strike" in November to "break" the airline, as part of their ongoing pay dispute. A source is quoted as saying "the disruption seen so far is nothing" and the walkout would bring BA "to its knees".

The paper argues the pilots' union, Balpa, "has to give way" and calls on BA's parent company, IAG, to "clear up this mess before it gets any worse". Balpa, meanwhile, has tweeted to say the story "is nonsense".

Private schools tax 'raid'

Jeremy Corbyn is planning a £1.6bn tax raid on private schools if Labour comes to power, according to the Daily Telegraph. It says it has seen a leaked document, which shows Labour is considering scrapping discounted business rates for independent schools , and imposing VAT on fees.

The paper says the memo forms part of Labour's "preparing for government" strategy, with Mr Corbyn's inner circle "increasingly confident" they may be in Downing Street by Christmas. Labour declined to comment on the story.

Amazon fires

A stark, full-page photograph is featured on the front of the Daily Mirror, showing the paper's US editor standing among the charred remains of what he calls the Amazon's most fire-ravaged area

Christopher Bucktin reports that Brazil has 85% more fires burning than this time last year, as criminal gangs clear the rainforest to illegally sell the land to cattle ranchers.