CHANCELLOR Rishi Sunak will tomorrow announce the UK Government's plans to "continue protecting jobs through the winter".
The announcement comes after SNP MP Ian Blackford warned the Tories were leading the UK into a "winter of discontent” due to impending Brexit and Covid-19 turmoil.
Taking to Twitter, Sunak wrote: "As our response to coronavirus adapts, tomorrow afternoon I will update the House of Commons on our plans to continue protecting jobs through the winter."
READ MORE: Extend furlough scheme to weather oncoming 'economic storm', Westminster urged
The Conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer is expected to announce an extension of the furlough scheme in some form, after mounting pressure from politicians including Blackford, Scottish Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop, and Citizens Advice Scotland.
Yesterday, The Guardian reported that Sunak was weighing up a German-style wage subsidy scheme to replace the furlough through the winter.
Under those proposals, companies would pay staff for the time they are at work, while the Treasury would cover part of their wages for time when they have no work.
One industry source told the paper that the Treasury favoured a plan where workers would have to undertake education or training while not at work.
READ MORE: WATCH: Boris Johnson dismisses furlough plea to save 61,000 Scottish jobs
Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon yesterday announced a raft of new restrictions to try to curb the spread of Covid-19 across England and Scotland.
The Scottish Greens' Alison Johnstone told Holyrood: “Bringing an end to furlough while introducing additional restrictions is simply dangerous and wrong.
“Support for workers, including the self-employed, must be extended."
Sturgeon said she agreed "very much" with Johnstone's points.
If Sunak does announce a continuation of worker support, it will represent another signifcant U-turn from the Tory-controlled Westminster.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister refused to say that the furlough scheme, on which the jobs of around 61,000 Scots rely, would be extended beyond October.
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