furlough – Saddleworth Liberal Democrats

17Aug 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Unemployment stats: Figures belie scale of challenge ahead

Reacting to figures released this morning showing that UK's unemployment rate dropped to 4.7% in Q2 2021 (a decrease of 0.2% on the quarter before), Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said: “These figures don’t give us a real picture of what is going on in our economy or the scale of the challenge ahead. "The Government needs to listen to the businesses in the hospitality sector who cannot open up fully because staff were forced to move on during the lockdown. Or the countless small businesses who say they’re months away from closing. And the parents worried how they will feed their children and pay their bills if they lose their job when furlough ends next month. “What the country needs is a long-term strategy to support jobs…

01Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Furlough wind down a “dereliction of duty”

Parliamentary news

Thousands of businesses are facing uncertainty as furlough begins to wind down and the business rates holiday ends, while restrictions remain in place. Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Christine Jardine warned: "How are businesses supposed to have confidence in a Government that promised to do whatever it takes, but is withdrawing support too soon? Now thousands of businesses are being left facing reduced support while still unable to operate fully to pay their bills. "This gap before the next possible lifting of restrictions could be crucial for many of them. "Bounce back loans are creating an extra burden and the Government needs to come up with a way of making that easier to repay. “Liberal Democrats warned the Government to think about business needs when restrictions were extended, but the Chancellor’s…

29Jun 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Chancellor must fix ‘black hole’ in business support

Parliamentary news

Liberal Democrats have warned the Government that small businesses face a 'black hole' in support, risking thousands of closures and job losses. Furlough begins to taper away and the business rates holiday comes to an end on July 1st. However, restrictions are set to remain in place until 19th July. Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Treasury, Christine Jardine MP said: "This Government seems incapable of hearing the many voices telling them loudly and clearly how desperately small businesses need support to help them cope with the extra period of restrictions, and beyond. "It is completely incomprehensible that the Chancellor is prepared to end so many of the support mechanisms before firms even have a chance to open their doors and start trading. "Why support them for this long and then not…

16Jun 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Extend furlough or risk “jobs disaster”

Parliamentary news

Responding to the latest unemployment figures, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said: "A fall in unemployment is always welcome, but the Government has to provide further reassurances to business or we risk a jobs disaster when furlough ends. “The support furlough offers will be reduced from next month and will come to an abrupt end in September. "We must not underestimate the impact this withdrawal will have on people’s lives at a time the pandemic and its new variants are still forcing businesses to close. “This latest delay to the roadmap, emphasises the need do extend the furlough scheme and provide businesses with the certainty they need to drive our recovery.”

18May 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Unemployment stats: furlough must be maintained until end of year

Parliamentary news

Responding to the latest unemployment figures, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for the Treasury Christine Jardine MP said: "This is still a sharp reminder that there is a lot of work to be done to repair the damage done by the pandemic. "We must not be lulled into any false sense of security by the furlough scheme, which has protected millions of jobs but is due to end in September. It's possible that then we will see the real impact of the pandemic on jobs. “To support people we need to see the furlough scheme maintained at least until the end of the year, and a Revenue Compensation Scheme that will allow small businesses to retain and hire staff. "Ministers must continue to be aware of the potential threat and treat it…

23Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Unemployment: Vital furlough scheme must be extended

Parliamentary news

Responding to new ONS labour market figures showing that the UK's unemployment rate is 5%, Liberal Democrats Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said: "This is a another set of challenging figures to mark the first anniversary of lockdown. "In a year when so many have already lost so much, it is clear that Covid-19 still poses a threat to our health and economy, with millions unable to return to work and countless small businesses unable to operate. "Today's figures emphasise just how important it is to maintain the furlough scheme as the economy reopens. Five million jobs currently supported could have been lost if the Chancellor hadn't been persuaded to extend it. "Now he has to show he's learnt that lesson and immediately extend furlough at least until the end…

03Mar 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Furlough extension: Compensate rent for small businesses on the brink

Parliamentary news

Christine Jardine MP, Treasury Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, responded to the Government reportedly planning to extend the furlough jobs scheme until September. The Liberal Democrats are proposing a German style revenue loss scheme to compensate small businesses for fixed costs incurred during the pandemic.* Christine Jardine MP, called on the Government to go much further than extending the jobs furlough: “We are facing a once in a generation shock to our economy and we need a recovery which works for small businesses and the millions of people they employ. "We need a clear long term strategy to support people out of this, and not just another knee jerk reaction to extend furlough, when its not for long enough or in a way that suits small businesses who need help…

07Jan 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must protect businesses and jobs

Parliamentary news

The Liberal Democrats have called for the government to suspend business rates through next year, extend furlough and support the self-employed as the UK enters its third lockdown. Ed Davey, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, urged the Chancellor to take real action to save people's jobs as businesses face months of hardship. Ed Davey said: “This lockdown should have come sooner, Boris Johnson has once again ducked making a difficult decision and as a result we are now in a critical situation. "But we must all support it now and do all we can to vaccinate as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. "We also need real action now to save people's jobs, their businesses and their livelihoods. "Small businesses have shown incredible resilience but now they worry…

15Dec 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Unemployment rise shows Sunak’s failure to protect jobs from pandemic

Parliamentary news

Responding to the unemployment figures released today, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “These figures are a condemnation of this Government's failure to get a grip on the pandemic's impact on jobs, leaving far too many families worried about how they are going to put food on the table this Christmas. "The Chancellor's constant chop-and-change approach to the furlough scheme and his inability to put together a comprehensive plan to save jobs is taking a huge toll. "The Government must ensure furlough stays in place until at least June – and extend support to the three million people who still remain excluded from any support whatsoever. Just as crucially, Ministers must ensure there is an Adjustment Period for businesses before new trade rules begin, to avoid a second spike…

09Oct 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group at risk of collapse shows need for furlough extension

Parliamentary news

Responding to reports that Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group is at risk of collapsing after it filed a notice to appoint administrators, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said: “The fact that thousands of jobs are at risk as Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group faces collapse clearly underlines the extent of the challenge to businesses across the UK and to all of those struggling to get by. "Rishi Sunak cannot simply dismiss those struggling as not viable, and pretend that somehow the economy is on anything like a path to reopening. "The Chancellor must announce today a guarantee of more support for those who desperately need it, including extending furlough until next June and broadening it to support everyone. If the Government doesn't roll out more support these job losses will just…