By Daniel Wood
An unemployment crisis is feared across the whole of the UK.
People in the tens of thousands across Yorkshire are at risk of losing their jobs due to the end of the Government’s furlough scheme, according to the Labour party.
A total of around 17,000 workers in Kirklees could be left without a form of employment.
That is just a fraction of the millions of jobs that are at risk across the country.
Labour Shadow Chancellor, Anneliese Dodds, says an estimated 109,000 people living in areas that have additional Covid-19 restrictions in Yorkshire face a “jobs cliff edge” in a few weeks’ time.
In addition to this, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been urged to safeguard people’s livelihoods by getting a hold of the crisis and avoiding a possible unemployment catastrophe.
Ms Dodds responded to Mr Sunak’s ten-minute conference speech by saying that he had nothing to say to people with jobs at risk.
She added: “Britain risks the worst unemployment crisis in decades and Rishi Sunak’s name will be all over it.”
According to Ms. Dodds, uncertain times are ahead for the areas operating under localised restrictions imposed by the Government, because of the ending furlough scheme when October ends.
Labour has made accusations about the Chancellor’s failure to support businesses and communities that are currently most at risk of a second wave.
The estimated number of workers on furlough in mid-September throughout Yorkshire:
- Leeds: 31,000
- Bradford: 19,000
- Kirklees: 17,000
- Wakefield: 14,000
- Rotherham: 10,000
- Calderdale: 8,000
- Scarborough: 5,000
- Selby: 4,000
Mr Sunak has apparently failed to deliver an economic package to protect businesses and jobs most at risk, despite a rise in infections across the region.
Ms Dodds added further: “The Government’s failure to get a functioning track, trace and isolate system working means large swathes of the country, including in the North West, are now under additional restrictions and face a jobs cliff edge.
“Labour urged the Chancellor to introduce a wage support scheme that incentivised employers to keep more staff on.”
She says that the calls were ignored and that has resulted in nearly a million jobs being at risk across the country when the furlough scheme ends. Ms. Dodds stressed that Rishi Sunak must “get a grip of the jobs crisis before it’s too late.”