Furlough ‘prevented mass pandemic job losses’

NOT all jobs could be saved during the pandemic but the government prevented "mass unemployment", Rishi Sunak said.

- BY ANNA WISE

The former prime minister also said he was advised by medical officials not to "go too early" with interventions at the start of the crisis. Mr Sunak, who was chancellor

at the height of the problem, having stepped into the role in mid-February 2020, was giving evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry. He said: "It wasn't going to be possible to save every person's job and people were going to experience economic hardship."