Businesses want support that is stable across the crisis, rather than changing week-to-week. So the Chancellor’s announcement on Thursday that the furlough scheme would be extended to the end of March is a good move. But there is more to do.
The fight against the virus is being compromised by the failure to fund statutory sick pay for every worker if they need to self-isolate. The vast majority of businesses supplying temporary workers, who are vital to sectors like education, logistics and care, are ineligible for SSP support — and a stand-off over who pays could lead to greater economic damage, as work gets shelved.
We need to keep hiring demand as high as we can. Lowering the cost of labour by reducing employers’ National Insurance contributions, the biggest business tax, is one measure which will help.
Neil Carberry, Chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation
Editor’s reply
Dear Neil
I agree the furlough extension was welcome, although it’s infuriating the Chancellor swerved through so many U-turns to get there. You are right that there are gaps in compensation around statutory sick pay and employers’ NI but Rishi Sunak only has a finite amount of resource. His furlough extension costs £6 billion a month and was a clear win for business. Continually demanding more help from the Treasury risks alienating taxpayers against business.
Jim Armitage, City Editor
Not all non-white voters go Left
I agree with Ayesha Hazarika [November 4] that the Left assumes all non-white voters will support a “progressive” party. This is simplistic and patronising. It clearly has not happened in the US election and it doesn’t happen here either. The current Tory cabinet is also the most racially diverse in history.
Stan Labovitch
