• Liberal Democrats: Government must grant EU citizens proof of settled status
• Slow economic growth reinforces need for furlough extension
• Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group at risk of collapse shows need for furlough extension
• Liberal Democrats: Sunak’s offer does not go far enough

Liberal Democrats: Government must grant EU citizens proof of settled status

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to grant EU citizens the automatic right to stay in the UK, with the physical proof they need, as new Home Office figures reveal thousands are being refused and 1.8 million have not been granted the right to stay permanently.

The latest EU Settlement Scheme statistics, which were published this morning, revealed 16,600 people have been refused Settled Status – including 5,700 in September alone. They also revealed that 1.6 million have only been granted temporary ‘Pre-Settled Status’ and 180,000 are still waiting for a decision.

On Monday, the House of Lords passed a Liberal Democrat amendment to the Government’s Immigration Bill which would require the Government to provide EU citizens with physical proof of their Settled Status. The party is urging Conservative MPs not to overturn that amendment when the Bill returns to the Commons.

Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said:

EU citizens in the UK – our families and friends – have been living under a cloud of uncertainty for far too long. They must have the right to stay.

Boris Johnson and the Conservatives promised to automatically guarantee the rights of EU citizens to stay, but they have broken that promise, as they have with so many others.

This Government’s botched scheme is anything but automatic and, without physical proof of their rights, EU citizens will be at the mercy of the Conservatives’ Hostile Environment.

To prevent a new Windrush-style scandal, Liberal Democrats are fighting for EU citizens to be given the automatic right to stay in the UK, with the physical proof they need.

Slow economic growth reinforces need for furlough extension

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to extend furlough as new figures reveal growth in August was slower than the expansion seen in both June and July. Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said:

These figures make it clear that despite the massive effort people have made to fight this virus and its economic implications, the road to recovery is going to be rockier than we feared.

The Chancellor has to recognise that people, businesses and the economy need more support than he is currently offering. Furlough has to be extended until next June and broadened to support everyone.

It’s not good enough for the Chancellor to say dismissively that he can’t protect every job, because frankly it’s his job to try to do exactly that and make sure nobody is left behind.

Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group at risk of collapse shows need for furlough extension

Responding to reports that Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group is at risk of collapsing after it filed a notice to appoint administrators, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said:

The fact that thousands of jobs are at risk as Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group faces collapse clearly underlines the extent of the challenge to businesses across the UK and to all of those struggling to get by.

Rishi Sunak cannot simply dismiss those struggling as not viable, and pretend that somehow the economy is on anything like a path to reopening.

The Chancellor must announce today a guarantee of more support for those who desperately need it, including extending furlough until next June and broadening it to support everyone. If the Government doesn’t roll out more support these job losses will just be the beginning of what’s yet to come.

Liberal Democrats: Sunak’s offer does not go far enough

Responding to the Chancellor’s announcement that those who work for firms forced to close due to coronavirus restrictions are to get two-thirds of their wages paid for by the Government, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine said:

This partial U-turn by the Chancellor after pressure from the Liberal Democrats and others is welcome, but not enough. Losing a third of your income overnight if you work in hospitality could push many people over the financial edge.

Of course the Government must support those it tells to close, but help shouldn’t be limited to just some parts of the UK – it’s needed right across the country.

People are struggling in every area and the economy as a whole is on the ropes. Business needs certainty and a clear strategy – not chop and change, knee-jerk reactions. The Chancellor needs to expand furlough support urgently and across the whole economy until June 2021.