LABOUR is urging new Tory MPs to help save the livelihoods of more than a million of their constituents by voting for targeted extension of government coronavirus financial support schemes today.

In the middle of August, about 670,000 people were still fully furloughed from their jobs under the job retention scheme in 107 seats won by new Tory MPs in December’s election, according to analysis by Labour. 

Almost 400,000 people in those constituencies had made claims under the coronavirus self-employed income support scheme by the end of July, the party’s research shows.

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds is urging the 2019 cohort of new Tories to back Labour in its push to force Chancellor Rishi Sunak into a U-turn on his “one-size-fits-all” decision to end the schemes by the end of October. 

Labour will hold a vote on a targeted extension of the schemes today. 

Ahead of the opposition day debate, Ms Dodds said: “For months the Chancellor has ignored calls from businesses, trade unions and the devolved governments to abandon his disastrous one-size-fits-all withdrawal of wage support across the entire economy.

 “Unless he changes course now, over half a million jobs could go in constituencies represented by those Conservative MPs who entered Parliament for the first time less than a year ago.

 “It’s clear the Chancellor is too stubborn to admit he’s got this wrong. The 2019 Tory intake have the power to force a U-turn on the furlough cliff-edge before it’s too late for the people they represent. 

“They should do the right thing and vote to extend income support for jobs and businesses in the hardest-hit sectors and areas under local restrictions.

 “If they don’t, sectors vital to the UK’s economic recovery such as highly skilled manufacturing and the creative industries will suffer.”