Friday newspaper round-up: Insecure work, Stellantis, Nationwide

The UK has seen an “explosion” in insecure, low-paid work in the past 14 years, according to a new report. The TUC said its study had found that the number of people in insecure work had reached a record high of 4.1 million. The analysis of official statistics shows the number of people in “precarious” employment – such as zero-hours contracts, low-paid self-employment and casual or seasonal work – increased by nearly 1 million between 2011 and 2023. – Guardian

The owner of the Jeep, Fiat and Vauxhall brands has said it will not take a defensive stance in the battle for electric car sales, amid signs of an escalating trade war in the market between Europe and China. Stellantis’s chief executive, Carlos Tavares, has criticised the EU tariffs on imported Chinese cars announced on Wednesday and said the world’s fourth biggest carmaker preferred to “fight to stay competitive”. – Guardian

Motorists are poised to benefit from a sharp drop in fuel prices over the next 18 months, as analysts predict the cost of oil could fall to $60 (£47) a barrel. The expectation of lower petrol prices has emerged in response to predictions that there will be a global oversupply of oil by 2030. A glut of supply will force companies to lower prices with experts at Citigroup predicting crude oil will fall to $60 a barrel over the next 18 months, down from $80 today. – Telegraph

Members of Nationwide Building Society are being urged to vote in favour of a new pay package for its chief executive, which will triple Debbie Crosbie’s maximum long-term bonus from £1.14 million to £3.42 million. The potential pay rise was because the remuneration opportunity for Crosbie “currently sits substantially below UK banking peers of a similar size and complexity”, the 16 million members were told in letters sent out this week. – The Times

A reality television influencer has pleaded not guilty to illegally plugging unauthorised investment schemes on social media. Scott Timlin, who appeared on the MTV show Geordie Shore, is one of nine so-called finfluencers, or financial influencers, charged by the Financial Conduct Authority in relation to an unauthorised foreign-exchange trading scheme. – The Times