MP warns ‘thousands’ may face travel jobs axe
The SNP is calling for the UK government to bring in tailored support for travel firms and extend the furlough scheme following reports the coronavirus crisis has already led to the loss of 39,000 jobs in the industry.
Paisley and Renfrewshire North MP Gavin Newlands, the SNP’s Shadow Transport Secretary, has warned there could be thousands more job losses if the UK government fails to heed calls to extend the furlough scheme into 2021, as Germany has done.
Around 65 per cent of travel firms have had to make redundancies or start a consultation process since the beginning of the pandemic, with STA Travel, Hays Travel and Tui among those affected.
The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has said the UK travel industry‘desperately needs ’support or tens of thousands more jobs would be lost, with cruise firms and school travel operators still currently closed for business.
Mr Newlands said: “These reports make for grim reading and is a stark warning of things to come if the UK government does not act urgently. Just this month, the workforce at the Travelex site in my constituency was put at risk.
“The Tory government’s plans to prematurely wind down its furlough support scheme are madness as we now hear of job losses almost daily as more and more firms struggle to stay afloat.
“The UK government must take the growing threat to jobs seriously or thousands more livelihoods will be put at risk. Rishi Sunak should be strengthening and extending support to businesses and workers at this critical time - not winding it down.
“If Westminster refuses to take the necessary steps it must devolve the powers to Holyrood so Scotland can get on with the job of protecting livelihoods.”