A BRADFORD MP has called for more support to be given to three million ‘excluded’ people who have not received any financial support from the Government since the Covid-19 pandemic began.
Imran Hussain, MP for Bradford East, has reiterated his calls for the ‘excluded’ to be given support after falling through the cracks of the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme.
Last week, he asked the Prime Minister if support would be given and Boris Johnson promised to listen to these calls, but earlier this week Chancellor Rishi Sunak did not outline any extra support for these three million people.
Mr Hussain has been working with campaign group Excluded UK, which represents the three million people who have missed out on financial support – such as the newly self-employed and freelance workers.
Last week, when he urged Boris Johnson to “listen to the calls of Excluded UK” and demanded greater support, Mr Johnson insisted that no one has been excluded from support and hundreds of billions of pounds has been given to businesses to help them through the pandemic, but he was open to listening to Excluded UK’s concerns.
However, earlier this week in an economic statement, Chancellor Rishi Sunak did not mention any new support for this group of workers.
Mr Hussain said the Prime Minister has “broken his promise” and has written to Mr Johnson urging him to “make good on his promise” and meet with Excluded UK.
He said: “Last week the Prime Minister promised me in Parliament he would listen to the calls of those who have been excluded from financial support during the pandemic and Excluded UK.
“Many were therefore hopeful the Chancellor would announce an extension of support schemes to ensure they were covered.
“However, when he appeared in the Commons just five days after the Prime Minister, the Chancellor announced nothing, and so despite his warm words, the Prime Minister and his Government appear not to have listened to the plight of those who have been excluded.
“In places like Bradford we already have a high number of people trying to get by on low incomes and many businesses in sectors been affected by the Government’s lockdowns.
“This exclusion from support has hit especially hard and has undoubtedly aggravated poverty and deprivation across the district. The Prime Minister must therefore make good on his promise.”
