Boris Johnson news - live: PM misses Rishi Sunak’s jobs announcement as No 10 denies rift with chancellor

Follow the latest updates from parliament as they happened

Rishi Sunak announces the Job Support Scheme

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a new Job Support Scheme to replace the furlough system which will see the government “directly support” the wages of people working at least a third of their normal hours.

Mr Sunak’s statement followed intense pressure from business leaders, MPs and unions to announce measures to protect millions of jobs in sectors hit by new coronavirus restrictions.

It came as Downing Street denied any rift between Boris Johnson and Mr Sunak after the prime minister chose not to attend the statement.

Key Points

• No 10 denies rift between Johnson and Sunak after PM misses statement
• Sunak unveils Job Support Scheme to replace furlough
• Sunak ‘failed to listen’ to warnings over job losses, Labour says
• Climate action must not become ‘another victim of coronavirus’, Johnson to say
• Starmer calls for ‘plan B’ for economy to protect jobs

[24 September 2020 18:30 · Vincent Wood]

Stormont reacts to maskless DUP MP

In relation to a photograph which appeared on social media of DUP MP Sammy Wilson sitting on a train without wearing a face covering, Arlene Foster said: "Sammy has made a statement in relation to that matter.

"But just for clarity, I want to say this as clearly as I can, everyone is subject to the law, everyone is equally subject to the law and equal under the law.

"So it is important that we remember that, and that is the position of the DUP."

Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said she has not yet seen the photograph in question.

"We're very very strongly encouraging people on an ongoing basis, please wear face masks even in places where it is not mandatory, wear them as much as you possibly can. It's part of our fightback against Covid-19 and the more we all do these things then the better a position we'll be in."

[24 September 2020 18:53 · Vincent Wood]

Manchester Night Tsar urges government rethink 

Sacha Lord, the night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), has urged the Government to rethink its rescue package.

He tweeted: "While these new financial aid measures are helpful, they do not go far enough to keep many businesses viable, and I predict a tidal wave of redundancies across the UK night time economy as we enter the end of the year.

"At the start of the crisis, the Chancellor assured us he would stick by all businesses, but today has turned his back on this commitment. Live Music Venues, Nightclubs, Musicians, Performers, Freelancers, Events. All forgotten."

[24 September 2020 19:16 · Vincent Wood]

The world was ‘caught napping’ - Boris Johnson

Humanity was "caught napping" and "woefully under-prepared" by the coronavirus outbreak, Boris Johnson said.

Remotely addressing a UN summit on climate change, the Prime Minister said the pandemic "came out of left field".

Mr Johnson acknowledged that while some - "Bill Gates, and so on" - had predicted the potential problems, "most people didn't imagine that the world would be afflicted in the way that it has".

"We were caught - humanity was caught napping by coronavirus," he said.

"Let's face it, we were woefully under-prepared.

"But, for this thing, for climate change, nobody can say that we have not been warned.

"And, nobody can say that we are not now capable of making the preparations. So, that's what we are doing. And, I have no doubt that we can be successful."

[24 September 2020 19:23 · Vincent Wood]

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