MP writes cross-party letter calling for long-term support for hospitality and tourism
South Lakes MP Tim Farron has organised a cross-party letter to the Chancellor and the Business Secretary calling for a long-term financial package to take the hospitality and tourism industry into next Spring.
It comes as new figures released today show that Tim's constituency of Westmorland and Lonsdale has the 4th highest proportion of furloughed workers in the country - with more than one third of the local workforce currently on furlough.
Tim's letter, which was signed by MPs from the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, Labour, SNP, Plaid Cymru, DUP and SDLP, calls for an extension to the furlough scheme for the tourism and hospitality sector.
Tim said: "The furlough scheme has been a lifeline for so many workers here in Cumbria which today's figures bear out.
"The problem is that support is going to start to run out at a time when hospitality and tourism businesses are only just re-opening, having had months of no income.
"That's why I'm grateful to colleagues from across the political spectrum who've signed our letter calling for a financial package of support to take the sector through to the Spring of 2021."