⁍ British finance minister Rishi Sunak warned that a further lockdown would cripple both the economy and society.
⁍ Sunak spoke about his dissatisfaction with the 10 pm curfew on pubs and restaurants.
⁍ He added that ministers were divided on the issue but encouraged Brits to abide by the rules.
– Britain is in the midst of a serious economic crisis, and the country’s finance minister thinks the government should do something about it. “Having a difficult economy has an impact on both our ability to fund public services like the NHS but also on individual people’s long-term health outcomes,” Rishi Sunak tells the Sun in an interview ahead of his speech to the virtual Conservative Party conference on Monday, per Reuters. Sunak also expressed frustration with the country’s 10pm curfew on restaurants and bars, saying, “Of course it’s frustrating. I know it’s difficult and wish we didn’t have to do these things.” He added that ministers were divided on the issue but encouraged Brits to abide by the rules. Sunak had last month announced a new jobs support scheme that would help firms employ people on shorter hours, but warned he could not save every business or job. The British government launched a new employment program on Monday aimed at helping those left jobless due to the COVID-19 pandemic to get back into work. Sunak in his interview expressed full support for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, saying that Johnson faces difficult decisions and ‘awful trade-offs.'” Sunak also defended Britain’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme stating that the scheme helped to save two million jobs and kick-start the economy. He added that he would not remain silent in his fight against future lockdowns and implored his fellow ministers to strive for normality in the face of COVID-19.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-britain-sunak/uks-sunak-warns-of-economic-and-social-impact-of-lockdowns-the-sun-idUSKBN26Q01X