, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, asking an Urgent Question
on economic support being made available to individuals and
business during lockdown, said:
“Labour’s circuit breaker would have been more effective and
shorter, so less damaging to jobs and businesses, than the
government’s last-minute but lengthy lockdown.
“The cost of Conservative delay will be counted in lives and
livelihoods.
“So was it the Chancellor who vetoed the circuit breaker?
“Why did he tell the Welsh Government it was impossible to extend
furlough?
“And why did he dismiss those in the North who said his plans
would lead to hardship?
“I heard from a restaurant in the North West, about the strain of
his panicked, last-minute approach. As rumours of a lockdown
circulated, staff wiped away tears before putting on a brave face
to customers. They did not know whether they would be working as
normal the following week, face redundancy, be paid at 67%, or be
paid at 73%.
“Similarly, the self-employed have endured intransigence and then
rumours, before a last-minute announcement yesterday – which
still leaves many people with nothing.
“Businesses need to know what support they will receive if their
area faces further restrictions the other side of lockdown.
Yesterday the prime minister said they won’t find out until just
before those restrictions are imposed.
“How can any business plan on that basis? How can people cope
with that level of insecurity?
“Will the Chancellor, finally, get a grip and set out a plan for
the next six months?
“Will he set out how the different scenarios facing us will be
dealt with- not retrospectively, not at the last minute, not once
businesses have gone bust and jobs have been lost- but in
advance?
“And will he set out a plan for support if the lockdown is
extended, or if parts of the country remain under restrictions
afterwards?
“Or will I continue having to drag him here, week after week, as
his government stumbles from one crisis to the next?”
