Olivia’s Budget preview...
APPRENTICE JOINS ZOOM CALL WITH THE CHANCELLOR
CHATTING to young people from a government employment scheme may not be expected from the Chancellor of the Exchequer the day before the budget announcement.
Olivia Ralph from Pompey in the Community joined around 20 other people from the Kickstart scheme to hear from and ask questions of Rishi Sunak who met them on a Zoom call.
The 23-year-old featured in The News last week promoting Shaping Portsmouth's 100 in 100 campaign to create job opportunities for young people, and was thrilled to be invited to this meeting.
Olivia is on a placement in the marketing team of the charity as part of the sixmonth Kickstart scheme to create job placements for 16 to 24-year-olds.
About her Zoom call with the chancellor, University of Brighton graduate Olivia said: ‘He thanked us a lot for being involved in the Kickstart scheme. I was fortunate to be on the call, it was really exciting.
‘It feels great, it makes me feel proud because before Christmas I wasn’t even getting any responses to applications. Now with this government scheme I haven’t only got the work placement I wanted, now I have got recognition from the people who set up the scheme.
‘It’s really nice that it’s not gone unnoticed. It’s an honour really.
‘I was on the front page of The News last week and the following week I have had a meeting with Rishi Sunak.
‘I’ve only been here four weeks! I’m just so happy here, it’s the perfect role for me.’
Olivia was hoping to ask about how the Kickstart programme could help open doors if the employers cannot offer an ongoing role after the six-month placement, but there wasn’t enough time.
However, Olivia was excited to be one of the first people outside of the government to catch a glimpse of the red book containing the upcoming budget.
Clare Martin, chief executive of Pompey in the Community, said: ‘I think a lot of people think Kickstart is just for young people who don’t have a lot of qualifications. Liv graduated last summer but hadn’t been able to find a job at all.
‘It’s so important that these opportunities are there for young people who are highly qualified and people hitting the ground running with few qualifications and experience.’
BUSINESS leaders are pleading for the chancellor not to impose crippling tax hikes as part of his post-pandemic spring Budget.
Rishi Sunak was unveiling his multi-billion pound cash plan to MPs this afternoon following the biggest borrowing binge since the Second World War.
During the pandemic, the government has spent a huge £53.8bn on the furlough scheme, paying the wages of 11.2m Brits at its peak.
But there are now concerns that sweeping cuts and tax hikes could be needed as a result of the borrowing spree.
Ross McNally, chief executive of the Hampshire Chamber of Commerce – which represents thousands of businesses in the county – has warned such cuts could cripple ‘alreadystruggling’ firms.
‘Our members, and other businesses in Hampshire and elsewhere, have shown remarkable resilience in the past year,’ he said. ‘What we need from government now is a clear, balanced way forward that serves as a springboard for recovery.
‘We want to see strong business incentives over the longer term. The scope for building business success in the coming years is immense, with opportunities in green innovation, new technologies, international trade and enhanced productivity.
‘Business simply needs to be backed.’
Mr McNally urged the chancellor to green light a further extension of VAT and business rate reliefs for retail, hospitality and leisure sectors.
He also insisted the easing of lockdown ‘must be a priority’ and that ‘substantive action to offset public debt’ would ‘have to wait’.
The chancellor has already revealed a £5bn relief fund to help high street stores in England.
The cash injection – which would equate to about £18,000 per firm – would be used to support stores as they re-open after lockdown.
Nicola Bailey, development manager for Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight with finance group FSB, welcomed the move. She said: ‘This money – £5bn for 700,000 businesses – is a significant cash injection for non-essential retail, pubs, bars, restaurants, gyms, hairdressers and beauty salons.
‘It will provide a muchneeded lifeline, offering firms some reassurance as we look to put lockdowns behind us and focus on a vaccine-fuelled recovery.’