THE SNP have called on the UK Government to make a last minute decision to continue with the furlough scheme.
In a statement issued just ahead of the deadline to finish furlough, the SNP have said only independence can protect jobs and businesses in Scotland.
From today, the UK Government intends to push ahead with plans to prematurely cut Covid financial support by ending the furlough scheme – despite many businesses being pushed into hardship due to the pandemic.
The removal coincides with welfare cuts coming into force, a rise in energy prices, and an increase to National Insurance.
The SNP’s shadow chancellor Alison Thewliss MP said: “With the threat of a jobs cliff-edge looming in just a matter of hours due to the Tory government’s reckless plans to cut Covid financial support, it’s clear that independence is the only route to protect jobs and businesses.
“Whilst the pandemic is still ongoing, the UK Government should be looking to strengthen financial support – not prematurely pull it at a time when welfare cuts are coming into force, our energy prices are rising, our tourism and aviation sector is not yet back to normal, and those on the lowest incomes are being hit with a National Insurance hike.
“The SNP are now demanding that the Prime Minister and Chancellor heed the warnings and U-turn on their plans to end the furlough scheme – otherwise we risk thousands of unnecessary redundancies,” continued Thewliss.
“It’s beyond any doubt that Scotland is vulnerable under Westminster control, and that the only way to keep Scotland safe from Tory cuts is to become an independent country – with the full powers needed to protect jobs and secure a strong, fair and equal recovery.”
More than a million workers face an uncertain future this week as the UK becomes the world’s first big economy to wind up its Covid-19 jobs support scheme which at its peak paid a third of employees to stay at home at a cost to taxpayers of more than £68 billion – the most expensive single piece of economic support during the pandemic so far.
“Now we need to start focusing more on active measures to help people take up the jobs that are available, rather than passive measures that pay people not to work,” said Tony Wilson, director of the Institute for Employment Studies think tank.
He told Reuters: “This could feel a lot more like the early 2000s – when there was a strong recovery ... and really significant labour shortages driving up wages and inflation.”
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