Chancellor’s £350 billion rescue package to save UK economy

● Loans and mortgage holiday for ‘unprecedented emergency’ ● Sunak vows to do ‘whatever it takes’ to help ailing businesses ● Scotland’s NHS cancels all non-urgent ops to free resource

Boris Johnson has pledged to do “whatever it takes” to save businesses facing ruin as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, pumping more than a third of a trillion pounds into the economy.

An unprecedented rescue package includes payment holiday for mortgageholdersandgrantsforhospitality and tourism businesses that face losing their trade as “social distancing” measures clear the UK’S high streets.

But there was a warning that more will be needed to help renters, the self-employed and retail workers who have already lost their jobs, with major brands like Laura Ashley yesterday filing for administration and Carluccios warning restaurant closures would begin “within days”.

Talks are under way with unions and industry to guarantee wages for workers whose companies have been forced to cease trading, with Chancellor Rishi Sunak pleading with businesses not to rush into laying off staff ahead of further measures expected within days. “We must act like a wartime government and do whatever it takes to support our economy,” the Prime Minister told a Downing Street press conference. We support millions of businesses and tens of millions families and individuals through coming months.

“The government must and will act with a profound sense of urgency.” Mr Johnson added: “Be in no doubt – one day the UK economy is going to bounce back and those good, brilliant British companies will bounce back, and that is why we are taking the steps to protect them that we are today.”

It came as First Minister Nicola