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Stevenson sounds stark jobs warning over 'reckless' withdrawal of support scheme


By Alan Beresford

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THE decision by the UK government to withdraw support for jobs hit by the Covid-19 crisis has prompted a local MSP to issue a stark unemployment warning.

Banffshire and Buchan Coast SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson has said the Tory government must perform an urgent U-turn over its "reckless" decision to withdraw support for jobs.

It comes after bakery chain Greggs, which has 25,000 workers across Scotland and the UK, became the latest company to indicate it may have to cut staff hours or jobs when the scheme ends, warning "with the Job Retention Scheme planned to end in October we are taking steps to ensure that our employment costs reflect the estimated level of demand from November onwards."

This follows on from the publication of a new survey which revealed four in 10 (42 per cent) small and medium businesses think they will have a smaller workforce in December than they did in September, and a quarter think they might go out of business next year if there is a second wave of Covid-19.

Mr Stevenson said: "The devastating impact of the UK government's decision to withdraw support for jobs in the middle of a pandemic is starting to hit home, and add to growing fears of job losses in the north-east.

"Boris Johnson was repeatedly warned that thousands of people could lose their jobs unnecessarily as a result of Tory cuts – and those warnings are now starting to become reality.

"The Tory government must perform an urgent U-turn, reinstate a full job protection scheme, and devolve financial powers to the Scottish Parliament so we can protect our economy,

"We shouldn't have to wait for Westminster to act while the livelihoods of people in the north-east are on the line. If the Tories won't act now to save thousands of Scottish jobs they will demonstrate beyond doubt that the only way to protect Scotland's interests is to become an independent country."

However, Conservative Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston accused the SNP of choosing to "snipe and complain" rather than join a collective effort to get through the crisis.

"Throughout this pandemic, Rishi Sunak has taken decisive action to protect nearly a million jobs and tens of thousands of businesses across Scotland," he continued.

“More recently the Chancellor has announced a new Job Support Scheme and further measures to boost the cashflow of Scottish businesses. It means Scottish families will continue to have the security of a regular pay packet.

“Meanwhile, within a month of taking office, the new Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross published a detailed jobs plan – Power Up Scotland – which proposed a comprehensive series of actions that the Scottish Government could take to help generate jobs and strengthen our economy.

“The fact is that we need both of Scotland’s governments to take action to protect employment and it is sadly typical of Stewart Stevenson and the SNP to snipe and complain from the sidelines rather than put their shoulders to the wheel and help get us through this crisis.”

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