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Starmer accuses government of empty vows to save jobs amid warnings of looming unemployment crisis
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer discusses employment and post Covid-19 support for businesses with staff at engineering components manufacturer, Beard and Fitch in Harlow today where he was joined by shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Bridget Phillipson

SIR KEIR STARMER accused ministers today of making hollow promises to save jobs at risk from the coronavirus crisis amid warnings that unemployment could soar to unprecedented levels.

During Prime Minister’s questions, the Labour leader said the government’s decision to not provide specific support to the most at-risk sectors “could end up costing thousands of jobs.”

The Office for Budget Responsibility warned on Tuesday that, in a worst-case scenario, unemployment could nearly treble, from 1.3 million last year to 3.5m next year, as the coronavirus furlough scheme winds down in the coming months.

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