Labour demands Rishi Sunak return from California trip

Labour’s Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds have written to Rishi Sunak and Kwasi Kwarteng outlining the urgent need to support businesses facing ‘closure by stealth’.

Following the Prime Ministers press conference advising people to “deprioritise social contacts” Labour have called for immediate clarity on the support offered to business facing a wave of cancellations and have a plan to prevent workers paying the price.

In the letter Reeves and Reynolds press the Chancellor and Business Secretary to support public health measures by supporting businesses facing an unprecedented loss in trade:

“It was with great concern that we both met with business leaders and major trade bodies yesterday, and learnt that many of them hadn’t had proper engagement from government on how plan B and the necessary restrictions resulting from Omicron would affect them.

“Since then, the public have been told to ‘de-prioritise social contact’. Following the science is crucial, but this will hit businesses and workers hard, especially in sectors like hospitality and leisure. Businesses face a perfect storm of cancelled bookings, rising costs and staff shortages.

“Businesses and their employees have put up with so much from this Government. It is time the Government came forward with their plans to ensure our great British businesses and their workers have the clarity and support they need to weather this storm.”

A Treasury minister said earlier today that this afternoon Sunak will be speaking with UK hospitality representatives “to understand their concerns”.