Budget must address glaring gaps in support
IT was encouraging to see the Prime Minister unveil a roadmap out of Covid restrictions this week. I welcome his new, much more cautious approach this time round; the last thing we want is to have to go into yet another lockdown later this year.
I’m also really pleased to see that the vaccination programme is proceeding apace.
What we also need to hear from the Prime Minister, however – and from his Chancellor in the Spring Budget next week – is some clarity as to what support there is going to be for businesses and individuals who have been hit really hard during the past year, and in some cases are struggling to keep their heads above water.
The Chancellor must use the Budget to finally address the glaring gaps in support for the three million so-called “Excluded”, such as freelancers, people who’ve set up small limited companies, and some self-employed, who have so far fallen through the gaps in the Treasury’s support schemes.
We’re also facing a situation in which indoor hospitality venues like pubs and restaurants won’t be able to open their doors until May 17 at the earliest – weeks after the furlough scheme has ended. With 4.6 million workers still on furlough this will inevitably lead to more redundancies.
In response, Labour is calling for a smarter version of the scheme which isn’t time limited, will include provisions for training, and strict protocols to prevent abuse.
This safety net of support could be reinforced with an extension of the current VAT holiday and business rates relief. Having been in constant contact with companies in my constituency of Bristol East I’m aware of a desperate need for funding and economic breathing space.
Despite being completely dependent on live events for income, events and exhibition businesses have missed out on support every time, and I raised this with the Prime Minister in the Commons this week. The fact that they’re not customer-facing means they miss out on Leisure, Hospitality and Retail grants, the fact that they haven’t actually been forced to close means they’ve lost out on local council grants for businesses which have, and the fact they aren’t arts organisations has denied them Arts Council funding.
Local authorities have been issued with vague guidelines and inconsistent advice on where discretion should be applied, leaving supply businesses stuck in a cycle of mis-categorisation.
The Government must understand that without the entire supply chain, the whole sector falls apart. Weddings rely on caterers, photographers, and musicians, and no gig or festival I’ve ever been to would’ve been the same without the sound and light engineers. Stage crews, audio-visual companies and coach drivers have all been denied the support they need.
It’s exciting to think that the return of live sport, music, and events is now on the horizon, but some businesses are telling me they simply can’t survive till then.
The Chancellor needs to support Bristol businesses in his Budget, so that we’re all able to enjoy live events this summer.