Rishi Sunak was always going to be in the spotlight on July 1 since it’s the day the Government’s furlough scheme starts drawing to a close.
And yet, the Chancellor has made headlines for more personal reasons than his spearheading of the job support scheme.
No, he’s not been caught doing anything untoward on CCTV, although he has appeared in a widely-circulated snap...
This one he happily posed for, however, as he introduced a cuddly new addition to Number 11.
That’s right, the Tory MP has got himself a brand new Labrador puppy.
The father-of-two has often spoken of his daughters’ love of Boris Johnson’s dog Dilyn so, finally, the Sunak family have got their own.
Posting on Twitter on Wednesday night, the 41-year-old wrote simply: “Meet Nova,” alongside a picture of himself beaming at his cuddly companion.
Meet Nova 🐶 pic.twitter.com/QdxHZakdDF
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) June 30, 2021
If there’s one thing we know social media likes it’s baby animals – and if there’s one thing we know it doesn’t like, it’s politicians trying to distract from major issues.
Unfortunately for Sunak, a number of critics have responded to his proud announcement by accusing him of trying to divert people’s attention from more pressing matters:
Hopefully the RSPCA will be round if you try starving the dog for 15 months like you've starved 3million plus #excludeduk from support. You're no more fit to keep an animal than you are to be in Parliament.
— Poppies From A Tray (@FromTray) July 1, 2021
Patronising us with pictures of dogs when we've got bigger fish to fry. Eat out to help out caused Covid to spread, never mind about his new dog
— Forever Young (@Forever_Y0ungy) July 1, 2021
Oh thank the world......I thought there might have been some serious news to report on. Apparently not.
— Eternally Skeptical (@hoopfrood344) July 1, 2021
In unrelated news, UK covid infection rate was higher than the sum of all other European countries infection rates combined.
But apparently a banker's dog is more important!
The dog will no doubt be better fed than schoolchildren are in the UK.
— bob p🏴 (@760rpp) July 1, 2021
Meanwhile, other commentators have been divided in their response:
This dog is absolutely adorable, and “a star suddenly shining brighter” is an interesting name https://t.co/OGkO1YF3Yi
— Rupert Myers (@RupertMyers) July 1, 2021
A dog is for life not just for PR
— Robert Jones (@robsenoj) July 1, 2021
Has the dog just got back off fur-lough
— Kev Anthony (@budgiek) July 1, 2021
So cute! Fox Reds look so handsome when they're older too.. pic.twitter.com/tAsmDMEe2C
— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) July 1, 2021
It’s almost as if they think that if they present themselves as endearing we’ll forget all their bullshit. #Spin #PuppyAintGonnaCutIt https://t.co/7iJUqs2Z5Q
— Rosie Pendlebury (@RedrosieEP) July 1, 2021
So cute @RishiSunak. pic.twitter.com/HyOEQ1vrsD
— Kevin Edger (@KEdge23) June 30, 2021
Headline: Secret office video emerges of young cutie wearing only a dog collar sitting on chancellors lap and licking his face
— @S2MK0 (@s2mk0) July 1, 2021
Has Larry approved these dogs moving into Downing Street?@Number10cat
— Just a Siberian Cat 🇪🇺🏴💙 (@Argyll1872) July 1, 2021
Beautiful dog Karen but literally millions of us are sick of being #ExcludedUK , count yourself lucky you can afford to have such a gorgeous fur baby , some of us , thanks to @RishiSunak have enough to contend with feeding ourselves. There but for the grace of god etc !
— Paul Elliott (@PaulEll70190027) July 1, 2021
There are 150,000 plus (official) dead who won't be meeting anyone's dog, or anything ever again. Thanks to your government.
— Jack Hughes,💙🇪🇺🐝🕷️ #carrythefire (@JackHughes7) July 1, 2021
He 100% can get round me with a cute dog. The future of the country is irrelevant
— JB (@jbm8106) July 1, 2021
I hope you have a change of attitude and vote to feed this little one, unlike the needy human children to chose not to support.
— James Archer #Walls Come Tumbling Down (@JamesKAArcher) June 30, 2021
The Chancellor’s introduction of his undeniably adorable pup comes as employers begin to shoulder more of the cost of the flagship job retention scheme.
Affected staff will continue to receive 80 per cent of their wages, but employers will foot part of the bill for the first time since furlough was introduced.
The change will affect an estimated 1.5 million UK workers, with older employees at higher risk of unemployment.
The Resolution Foundation said more than one in four workers aged 55-64 who were furloughed during the recent lockdown remained so in May despite the reopening of the economy.
There has been a rapid return to work in recent months, and a welcome boost to living standards, said the think tank.
The rapid fall in furlough rates has been driven by the reopening of sectors like hospitality and leisure, which disproportionately employ younger workers, according to the report.
Younger people have returned from furlough more quickly, resulting in older workers bearing the highest risk of being out of work longer, the foundation explained.
Its research indicated that more than 600,000 workers aged 45-64 have been unemployed or on full furlough for at least six months.
Labour has called for support measures to be extended as long as restrictions to combat Covid-19 remain in place.
Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Bridget Phillipson told BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today’ programme: “It doesn’t make any sense given that we have had to delay the easing of restrictions because of the Government’s handling of the border problem to then expect businesses to be paying more at a point at which they’re at a really difficult time.
“For the Government to expect them to be contributing more at this point risks tipping them over the edge.”
However, the Treasury argues that its furlough funding has been and remains "substantial".
"We deliberately went long with our support to provide certainty to people and businesses over the summer,” a department spokesperson said.
"The furlough scheme is in place until September and is amongst the most generous schemes in the world.”
