MPs on the Treasury committee have urged Rishi Sunak to extend furloughing for certain sectorsRishi Sunak has been warned that he risks derailing the economy’s recovery from its coronavirus-induced recession if he does not stave off a jobs meltdown. The “rule of six” Covid-19 restrictions that start tomorrow, local lockdowns — the latest being in Birmingham, quarantine rules for some foreign destinations, and fear of a no-deal Brexit are all compounding the chancellor’s uncertainties. He is under pressure to do more to protect jobs before his budget — originally expected in November — as the furlough scheme comes to an end next month. Analysts dread another slowdown in the economy, which grew 6.6% in July as it climbed out of its deepest-ever recession. The unemployment rate is 3.9%, with about 1.3 million out of work, but there are worries

Source: The Times September 12, 2020 16:52 UTC