Press Release: Charlotte Nichols responds to furlough announcement.

In response to Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s announcement of the extension of the furlough scheme until the end of March, Charlotte Nichols MP said:

“This is the right decision and I support it. But what I do not support is how this decision was made and the uncertainty it has created in communities like Warrington.

The Chancellor was saying for months furlough was going to end in October, contrary to all the common sense evidence suggesting against this. As a result, many workers were let go and businesses forced to close. Hindsight is certainly a wonderful thing but this was evident at the time, as the Labour Party, local businesses and workers pointed out at the time.

One positive is that anyone who was still employed as of 23rd September can be rehired and then furloughed, something I would encourage all local businesses to do.

People in Warrington will not forget that when we were put into Tier 2 and then Tier 3 restrictions, our workers were being told they only deserved 67% of their wages but now this affects London, it is rightly being increased to 80%.

All we ask is to be treated fairly and I will always fight for that as your MP.”