The Reader: Long-term plan needed to build back better

FILE PHOTO: Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak takes part in an outside broadcast interview, in London
REUTERS
6 January 2021
WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

We welcome the Chancellor’s new £4.6 billion package to support struggling businesses amid the toughest Covid-19 restrictions since last spring.  

The  Government has put an emphasis on tackling short-term issues but is yet to devise a long-term strategy to tackle challenges exacerbated by the pandemic, such as our faltering productivity and widening skills gap. This will prove detrimental for businesses and societies in the long term as we seek to recover.  

To build back better, we must deliver both short-term actions and long-term proposals to invest in people, stimulate innovation and shift to a greener economy.  

This includes ensuring that we retrain those on furlough so they can bring in new skills when their companies can operate again, and investing in green infrastructure supporting a net-zero recovery and future business sustainability.

Andrew Harding, Chief executive, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants

Editor’s reply

Dear Andrew

I don’t share your enthusiasm for yesterday’s aid deal. Grants are fine, but what those shuttered by lockdowns need most is a pledge from the Government to extend relief on VAT and business rates way beyond March 31. Only with this certainty can they reassure banks they are good for the money they must borrow. You’re right on green investment and training, but a tidalwave of unemployment awaits if Rishi Sunak doesn’t relent on tax relief soon.

Jim Armitage, City Editor

Use schools as vaccine centres

With schools shut, turn them into vaccination centres. And use the fact that all of us will be at home, available night and day to receive vaccines. If we can get 30 million people into voting booths on one day for a general election, surely we can get 30 million people into vaccine centres over a few weeks to avoid catastrophe.  

Giselle Green

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in