Rishi 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