I’ve taken a break from the press releases during conference in order to allow the story to tell itself, so to speak. But now it’s time to catch up, allowing those of us who didn’t attend conference to catch up on the main themes. But first, a piece of unfinished business…

Chancellor’s Job Support Scheme “falls short of what people need”

The Liberal Democrats have warned that the new Job Support Scheme outlined by the Chancellor “falls short of what people need” and are calling on the Chancellor to outline financial support measures for people still excluded from the Government’s schemes.

Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Christine Jardine said:

The Chancellor’s statement is welcome in as much as it finally extends employment support as Liberal Democrats have called for, but it is late and falls short of what people need.

To announce new measures only a month before the furlough scheme ends when businesses and ourselves have been calling for it for months is unacceptable – particularly when the budget has also been cancelled.

We need to know what the Chancellor is going to do to help the three million people still excluded from any support, how he proposes to create the jobs and training we need to avoid mass unemployment and where are the incentives for investment in our industries – especially the green economy.

And finally, when is this Government going to respect the devolution settlement and give the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish administrations the guidance he removed by cancelling the budget so that they can make their own plans.