Tuesday newspaper round-up: Brexit spat, Tesco, alcohol prices, Lloyds
Theresa May’s claim that “no deal is better than a bad deal” has been slammed as unsubstantiated by a parliamentary committee, but its pro-Brexit MPs have refused to back the findings. The chair, Hilary Benn, called on the government to urgently prepare for the “worst-case” scenario of crashing out of the EU without a trade deal, and asked for an impact assessment of what the economic fallout would be. - Guardian
The groceries code adjudicator has said that she believes Tesco’s proposed £3.7 billion takeover of Booker could be “positive” for independent shopkeepers and suppliers. In a boost for Tesco, which has come under a barrage of criticism from some key shareholders and City bodies recently, Christine Tacon said that if the retailer succeeded in taking over Booker then the wholesaler would come under the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. - The Times
Minimum unit pricing for alcohol should be introduced across the UK if it proves a success in Scotland, a Lords committee has said. If the decision to introduce a 50p base rate per unit of alcohol is shown to reduce excessive drinking, it should to be rolled out nationwide, the Lords select committee on the Licensing Act 2003 said. - Guardian
Lloyds Banking Group is to shrink the size of hundreds of its branches so they have only two staff with tablet computers helping customers. The new “micro branches” will not have counters, with customers paying in cash and cheques through self-service machines and talking to mortgage advisers through video links. - Guardian
The British travel industry is urging the government to protect the many benefits currently enjoyed by UK holidaymakers under EU membership, including visa-free travel and free or reduced healthcare, in Brexit negotiations. The Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) wants ministers to maintain Britons’ ability to travel freely within Europe and beyond and protect existing consumer rights including compensation for delayed and cancelled flights. - Guardian
MPs and unions reacted with astonishment yesterday after the boss of the company behind Southern rail accepted a non-executive directorship, paying an estimated £34,000 a year. David Brown, chief executive of Go-Ahead Group, has been appointed to the board of Renew Holdings, an engineering services group, with immediate effect. - The Times
Amazon has launched a new service to help it enter the business-to-business (B2B) supply market in the UK. The company’s Amazon Business brand, which has already been launched in the United States and Germany, will offer companies a specially curated selection of products online ranging from office stationery supplies to industrial tools. - Telegraph
The head of the International Monetary Fund has issued a stark warning that living standards will fall around the world unless governments take urgent action to increase productivity by investing in education, cutting red tape and incentivising research and development. Christine Lagarde used a speech in Washington to tell policymakers they could not simply wait for innovation to drive up productivity growth and help living standards recover from the legacy of the global financial crisis. - Guardian
Google has admitted to a blind spot around extremist content as it revealed it is teaching its computer systems to understand which videos are offensive. Some of the biggest brands in the US have pulled hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising from Google and YouTube after their brands were promoted next to extremist content. - Telegraph
Eating crisps could cause cause cancer, a study by government-backed scientists has found, as they contain high levels of acrylamide, a known carcinogen. Tests conducted by Fera Science on behalf of campaign group Changing Markets, found t he highest levels of the chemical were found in Tyrells "Sweet Potato Lightly Salted" crisps, which contained more than three times the recommended amount, according to European food standards. - Telegraph