Douglas Ross has insisted Boris Johnson will deliver on his commitment to extend furlough in Scotland if the evidence shows a second covid lockdown is necessary.
The Scottish Tory leader said the Prime Minister’s exchanges in the Commons on Wednesday backed up the pledge given to him on Monday that furlough would be available “in the future” if Scotland needed to go it alone into lockdown.
Johnson told the SNP’s Ian Blackford he would “not budge” on the guarantee he gave Ross that “if other parts of the United Kingdom decide to go into measures which require the furlough scheme, of course it is available to them.”
The SNP Westminster leader called for written assurances after other cabinet ministers rowed back on the pledge but Ross said the Prime Minister had given an “unequivocal” commitment.
Ross repeatedly called for furlough to be available to protect Scottish jobs in the event of another Scottish lockdown as did SNP Ministers.
He said: “I have said from the outset that the guarantee to protect Scottish jobs in the event of a second lockdown was an absolute must.
“The Prime Minister made that commitment on Monday and has made that again today."
He added: "It will be hugely reassuring news to Scottish workers and businesses that the UK Government will support jobs over the next month and the furlough scheme will be available to save Scottish jobs again if we need another lockdown.”
Johnson told Blackford that details of the furlough support would be outlined by chancellor Rishi Sunak in the Commons on Thursday.
Afterwards Blackford said: “In response to my direct question, the Prime Minister confirmed that Scotland will receive full 80% furlough and self-employed payments, on current eligibility, whenever it is requested by the Scottish Government in the months ahead. He must be held to that commitment in full.
“It is crucial that the Chancellor urgently provides a written guarantee of the detail to the Scottish Government, so that it can take timely action on public health, at any point in future, with the confidence that full financial support will be available on demand."
