TORY MPs ignored warnings from the opposition and trade unions today and voted to axe the coronavirus furlough scheme at the end of October.

During a press conference on his plans to ban social meetings of more than six people, PM Boris Johnson said he believes extending the financial support to workers would be a problem.

He added: “You’re just keeping people in suspended animation when really we want people to get back to work if they possibly can in a Covid-secure way.”

Labour’s shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds, who has called for a targeted extension of financial support, pointed out that other comparable economies have much longer furlough schemes.

She said Australia and Ireland’s schemes will last until next March, while Germany’s will go on until December 2021.

Ms Dodds added: “The Tories just voted to put millions of jobs at risk by continuing their one-size-fits-all withdrawal of furlough.

“Why? Because ‘any deviation from the government’s proposed plan will cause damage to the UK economy.’

“We will hold them to that when support ends in October.”

As the Commons vote on the Labour amendment was taking place, manufacturing workers outside Parliament warned that the sector in Britain would be wiped out without extra financial support to protect jobs during the pandemic.

The Unite union organised the demonstration over concerns about a “tide” of redundancies that would “engulf” the sector when the furlough scheme ends.

Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner said: “UK manufacturing is vital to our economic recovery.

“It will power the jobs of tomorrow and keep communities strong in those parts of the country that the PM has pledged to ‘level up.’

“Without urgent action by the PM, communities will suffer terribly as the gates close on the businesses that sit at their heart.”