, Labour’s Shadow
Chancellor, is today [Tuesday] calling for an urgent “Back to
Work Budget” to protect UK jobs at a crucial phase of the
coronavirus recovery. The Shadow Chancellor warns that the
country cannot afford for the government to make the same
mistakes on the economy as during the coronavirus health
crisis.
Dodds is calling on the Chancellor to publish an urgent
package of economic measures with a clear focus: “jobs, jobs,
jobs.” The intervention comes after the Treasury was reported to
have shelved plans for an emergency summer Budget.
Official figures on unemployment will be published today by
the Office for National Statistics. They follow statistics
earlier this month showing job vacancies at a three-year low,
raising fears of mass unemployment.
Arguing that the Government’s slow health response to
coronavirus has worsened its economic damage, Dodds is warning
that without swift action from the Treasury the UK risks falling
even further behind other nations. Other countries, including
Germany, have already announced stimulus packages to support the
post-Covid economic recovery.
Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, , said:
“The Government was too slow to recognise the scale of the
health crisis from coronavirus and we are already paying the
economic price.
“We are increasingly worried that the slow and confused
health response is now being followed by a slow and confused
response to saving jobs. The window is closing to protect
existing jobs and encourage firms to invest in creating new
ones.
“That’s why we need a Back to Work Budget that has one
focus – jobs, jobs, jobs. As a constructive opposition, we want
to work with government to get the right solutions to the
problems the country faces.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
· Labour
calls for full emergency summer Budget and stimulus: https://www.ft.com/content/eb4966f4-a472-42ab-87e1-ffa6adf8cd68
· The
Treasury has confirmed that the Government is considering an
economic update in July, but that plans for an economic stimulus
package had been pushed back to the Autumn. https://www.ft.com/content/eabe94af-a1a9-4bc6-96db-ed2f836f3210
· On
8th June, experts warned of a “Tsunami of job
losses” after data on job vacancies indicated coronavirus could
cause mass unemployment. https://www.ft.com/content/5483d718-8edf-4a25-94d5-4379c822c704
