Rishi Sunak is trying to keep up the balancing act but is pleasing nobody

The chancellor announced a limited extension to the furlough scheme, for workers whose businesses are required to close, writes John Rentoul

Rishi Sunak, chancellor, announced a limited extension to the furlough scheme (Getty)

The most popular politician in Britain knows that he will be unpopular one day, a day that he hopes to put off for as long as possible. Today Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, tried to maintain the balance between spending yet more public money that he hasn’t got, and not spending it. 

He announced that the furlough scheme would continue after the end of this month, on less generous terms and in strictly limited cases. Workers will be paid not to work in businesses required to close by the government – pubs and restaurants in large parts of the north of England, probably, although that won’t be announced until next week, plus bowling alleys and nightclubs, which have remained shut throughout the country on government orders. 

But they will get only 67 per cent of their pay instead of 80 per cent, and their employers will still have to pay national insurance and all their fixed overheads.