Anneliese Dodds comments on today’s labour market stats on redundancies

"It's no coincidence that redundancies rocketed to record levels when the clock was ticking down to the Chancellor's furlough cliff edge and rising employer contributions were putting businesses under pressure.

"The Chancellor's irresponsible decisions haven't just cost jobs - they've left us in the worst recession of any major economy. It was his decision to wind down the furlough scheme before we were out of this crisis, and his decision to wait until the last possible minute to change course.

"He can't put people through the wringer like this again. Employers can't afford to wait until the last minute again for this Chancellor to decide what happens to the furlough scheme at the end of January. They need clarity now."