Local Liberal Democrats said the Chancellor’s job support scheme comes “too little too late” for Harrogate and Knaresborough.
Rishi Sunak announced further support for part time workers yesterday ahead of the furlough scheme finishing in October.
As part of the billion pounds worth of measures, the government will top up wages for workers covering up to two-thirds of their hours for the next six months.
But local Lib Dems said the scheme did not go far enough to protect events, tourism and hospitality businesses.
Read more:
- Harrogate hospitality businesses welcome Chancellor’s winter support
- Conference sector ‘cut adrift’, says Harrogate events company
Judith Rogerson, local Lib Dem parliamentary spokesperson, said the party had been campaigning on the issue for months and criticised local MP, Andrew Jones, for “showing a lack of leadership”.
She said:
“Harrogate & Knaresborough’s MP should be standing up for his constituents and taking stance on important issues. Instead, he has once again demonstrated a total lack of local leadership.
“Local businesses that cannot afford to pay a third of wages to their staff will inevitably be forced to make significant numbers redundant. I am thinking in particular about the events industry where it is at present almost impossible to earn any income. We know how crucial this sector is to our local economy here in Harrogate.
“What’s more, the announcement said nothing about the millions of people who have been excluded from Government support throughout the Covid pandemic. The Chancellor’s announcement is welcome but it doesn’t go far enough to protect jobs and incomes.”
In response to the Chancellor, Mr Jones said he welcomed the scheme to support workers.
He said:
“Our country is not facing the economy of March, when we were at the height of the strict lockdown. So as the economic situation changes and the need changes, the support package evolves. I welcome the package, and said so in the House. Business groups have welcomed it too.
“I am particularly pleased that the Chancellor has sought to protect jobs in the tourism and hospitality sectors further by retaining the lower 5% VAT rate until the end of March. These sectors are important to Harrogate & Knaresborough, and we need them to be strong in the coming months as that helps our whole area.”
