Government looking at ‘wage subsidy’ options to replace furlough scheme
The government's job retention scheme is set to end in October, leaving the 9.6 million who have depended on the programme at risk of "mass unemployment."
Rishi Sunak is considering whether to replace the furlough scheme in Britain with a wage subsidies programme, according to The Guardian.
The government’s job retention scheme is set to end in October, leaving the 9.6 million who have depended on the programme at risk of “mass unemployment.”
However, new reports have suggested that the Chancellor is looking to fill the furlough void with a wage subsidy programme instead; whereby the Treasury and companies share the cost of topping up staff wages.
The imminent conclusion of the furlough scheme had set alarm bells ringing even before COVID cases had begun to climb.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that the UK had reached a “perilous turning point” in the fight against the virus, before laying out a raft of new restrictions and regulations designed to flatten the second curve.
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The hospitality sector, once again, has been hit hard by tightened rules – with bars, cafes, restaurants and pubs now required to shut no later than 10pm (with table service only).
Number 10
According to the Financial Times, a variety of new support measures for staff could be on the table.
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However, it is believed the Chancellor is favouring a German-style ‘short work’ system.
This would see employers pay staff when they’re on shift, whilst the Treasury would bump up wages during periods of no work.
An announcement on the scheme is expected within a week.
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The governor of the Bank of England has admitted it might be time for a “rethink” as the furlough end date fast approaches.
Currently, the job retention programme wraps up on 31 October.
With a “tough winter” ahead, surely some other support scheme will need to take its place.
News
Stockport bar Bask issues statement after ejected customer arrested on suspicion of attempted murder
Daisy Jackson
A popular bar in Stockport has issued a statement following an incident at the weekend, which culminated in a man being arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and assault of an emergency worker.
Police were called to Bask on Railway Road at around 1.03am on Sunday 23 February.
The bar has said in a statement that a male customer had been asked to leave after ‘throwing an object’ at a female member of staff.
The man refused to leave ‘and turned violent’, with security staff having to forcibly remove him.
He then returned to the street outside Bask, where he assaulted members of the bar’s security team, who reportedly sustained injuries.
He was restrained until police arrived and arrested him.
Greater Manchester Police have said in a statement that a man was taken to hospital with a serious, but thankfully not life-threatening, injury.
A spokesperson for GMP said: “Officers were called to reports of an assault outside a nightclub on Railway Road in Stockport at 1:03am on Sunday 23 February 2025.
“A man was taken to hospital with a serious injury, which is not life-threatening.
“A 25-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and assault of an emergency worker. He remains in police custody.”
Bask’s statement said: “Following some inaccurate social media posts, we would like to put out the following statement..
“Last night, a male customer was asked to leave following an incident where an object was thrown at a female member of staff. The security team asked the male to leave the premises, he refused to leave the premises and turned violent, leaving the security staff no option but to forcibly remove the male to protect the public.
“A short time later, the male returned and assaulted multiple members of the security team outside of the venue. The rest of the security team intervened to help protect members of the public, sustaining injuries in the process and restrained the male until the police arrived and was subsequently arrested.”
Four Just Stop Oil protesters found guilty of conspiracy to cause disruption at Manchester Airport
Emily Sergeant
Four Just Stop Oil protesters have been found guilty of conspiracy to intentionally cause public nuisance at Manchester Airport.
Indigo Rumbelow, Leanorah Ward, Margaret Reid, and Daniel Knorr each appeared at Manchester Minshull Crown Court last Friday (21 February) where they were found guilty after being arrested by officers from Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Specialist Operations Branch and Serious Crime Division during the early hours of the morning last August.
The four defendants were detained while walking along South Park Road in Gatley, as they were making their way to Manchester Airport.
According to GMP, they were equipped with heavy duty bolt cutters, angle grinders, glue, sand, Just Stop Oil high visibility vests, and a leaflet containing instructions to follow when interacting with police.
One of the defendants, Leanorah Ward, was also found in possession of a handwritten detailing the motive of the group – which was to enter the airfield of Manchester Airport, before contacting the police to alert them of their activity.
Four Just Stop Oil protestors have been found guilty of conspiracy to intentionally cause a public nuisance following GMP investigation.
In August 2024, we detained 4 people close to Manchester Airport who were equipped with heavy duty bolt cutters, angle grinders, glue & sand. pic.twitter.com/AE6vDedtnZ
They were planning to stick themselves to the airfield taxiway using the glue and sand, with one main goal – to disrupt airport activity and gain media attention.
GMP says the arrests managed to ‘prevent large-scale disruption’ at Manchester Airport, amid a summer of chaos threatened by Just Stop Oil, a result of extensive work and national coordination.
“This was a planned and targeted attack against one of the country’s busiest airports which could have caused significant disruption,” explained Natalie Mackenzie, who is the District Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West.
“Their plan displayed a clear disregard for members of the public using the airport at the height of summer.
The Manc -
23rd September 2020 
