THE Chancellor’s statement yesterday included some interesting schemes, including an increase in “work coaches” at job centres. Very commendable, but as SNP MP Chis Stephens highlighted, for this to be of any benefit the Chancellor would have had to announce the suspension of the job centre closure programme currently being undertaken by his government.

Added to this glaring hypocrisy on future employment, the Chancellor’s statement also glaringly omitted any mention of the future cliff-edge that is Brexit.

READ MORE: Summer statement: Where Chancellor Rishi Sunak went wrong

A Brexit deal of any kind will have consequences for employment, and the Chancellor’s short-term employment incentives will be running alongside Brexit trade-deal negotiations, yet Brexit did not merit a mention.

Employers and employees are currently going through a crisis like never before. We must go forward taking all aspects of future employment prospects into consideration. Brexit is one aspect that will have employment consequences for the country.

Catriona C Clark
Falkirk