Labour councillors ask Boris to rethink end of furlough scheme

LONDON: Around 1,200 Labour councillors and mayors across the UK have written to the Prime Minister urging him to rethink plans to end the furlough scheme next month.

The politicians called for a targeted financial support scheme to prevent “mass unemployment” as the job retention scheme stops.

The letter also outlines support for the Alliance for Full Employment, launched by former prime minister Gordon Brown, the North’s Metro Mayors, the Welsh First Minister, Mayor of Bristol and Mayor of Greater London, Sadiq Khan, last week.

The campaign demands that the government sets up a financial support system that targets industries worst hit by the pandemic and ensures incomes for people who are forced to self-isolate.

Jack Abbott, a councillor on Suffolk County Council, said: “The communities we represent are facing an unprecedented employment crisis should Boris Johnson not reverse his decision to withdraw the furlough scheme in its entirety — he is putting millions of jobs at risk.

“The fact that well over 1,000 councillors and local representatives have signed this letter underlines the strength of feeling behind this campaign. Without targeted support for sectors and local lockdown areas that have been badly affected by the pandemic, we know that viable businesses will fail and employment

will be lost...” A Treasury spokesman said: “The furlough scheme has done what it was designed to do — save jobs and help people back into employment. And many of our unprecedented interventions — including the Job Retention Bonus, business rates holidays, VAT cuts and the Kickstart Scheme — will ensure this support continues into next year...”