Falkirk East MP calls for UK Government to protect jobs

New Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures reveal nearly 750,000 jobs have been lost since the coronavirus lockdown began.

In its findings, the ONS highlighted the UK’s economy shrank by a record 20.4 per cent between April and June.

Mr Day said: “The UK has officially entered into recession, its deepest on record.

“This is the worst contraction of any G7 country so far. Locally within my own constituency of Linlithgow and East Falkirk, the number of people claiming unemployment-related benefits is 2210 higher than it was in March.

“These figures are a portend of the crisis to livelihoods and well-being to come when the jobs support falls off a cliff edge in October.

“It is increasingly obvious that to tackle the unemployment challenge facing Scotland, we need meaningful investment, the extension of the furlough scheme into 2021 and the financial powers to enable a tailored response for Scotland.

“Last week the UK Chancellor came north for the day and ruled out all of these measures, abandoning people in their time of need.”

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