Shropshire Star

Ending furlough scheme completely very short sighted, shadow chancellor warns

Anneliese Dodds called for targeted extensions of the job retention scheme or people will face further ‘waves of unemployment’.

Published
Last updated
Supporting image for story
Anneliese Dodds

Labour’s shadow chancellor has suggested the UK Government’s poor handling of the coronavirus crisis has increased support for Scottish independence as she called for more flexible borrowing, investment and targeted extensions of the furlough scheme.

Anneliese Dodds criticised the “very, very short-sighted” plan to end the job retention scheme in October, which she warned will lead to even higher unemployment in Scotland.

Speaking after a visit to Summerhall – one of the main venues of the Edinburgh Festival – where she met with festival organisers, the STUC and business representatives, Ms Dodds said there needed to be an extension of furlough for certain industries.

Anneliese Dodds visit to Summerhall
Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds during a visit to Summerhall in Edinburgh (Jane Barlow/PA)

Calling for a “more flexible system of wage support”, she said: “The Labour Party’s been saying that we don’t want to see that wage support expire across the whole economy at the same time across every sector.