Sunak says 'many more' will lose jobs from second lockdown

Less than two weeks after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said a second lockdown would be "the height of absurdity" the government announced on Saturday it would restore most restrictions in England to prevent a meltdown in the health service.

Non-essential retailers will close along with pubs and restaurants except for takeaway. Unlike the first lockdown, factories will be encouraged to remain open. The announcement caused fury among Conservative MPs and was criticised by businesses already struggling after the first shutdown and with consumer confidence weak.

Sunak reintroduced his furlough programme to support jobs, which was due to be replaced by weaker measures on 1 November. Some businesses have cut jobs in the runup to that deadline because they expected less support from the government.

In an interview with the BBC Sunak said: "If you're asking me if people have lost their jobs in the past few months as a result of what's been going on the answer is yes. We know that close to three-quarters of a million people have already tragically lost their jobs and sadly many more will. That is going to happen as a result of the restrictions that we're putting in place."

With MPs due to vote on the lockdown measures before they come into place on Thursday night, Sunak said the law would impose restrictions until 2 December and that he hoped to revert to a regional tiered approach after that. But he said the government would review conditions before lifting the lockdown.

Backbench Tory MPs are reported to be furious about the government's actions after rejecting its scientific advisers' recommendation for stricter measures in September. Labour leader Keir Starmer backed a "circuit breaker" lockdown in October but was rebuffed by Johnson.

Graham Brady, who heads the 1922 committee of Conservative MPs, said: "I'm very likely to vote against it. I'm very concerned indeed about a repetitive cycle of lockdowns that is immensely damaging to people's livelihoods … mental health and their family relationships."

The British Retail Consortium said the forced closure of many shops in the pre-Christmas period would "cost countless jobs and permanently set back the recovery of the wider economy". Primark's owner, Associated British Foods, predicted on Monday it would lose £375m of sales because of renewed restrictions across Europe.

Jonathan Neame, chief executive of Shepherd Neame, the brewer and pub operator, said his reaction was "anger, soul destroying, disheartening and disillusioned".

"This is the fourth change of strategy affecting the hospitality sector in the past six weeks and I don't think it will be the last," Neame said. He accused the government of risking wrecking the economy because of its failure on public health.

Sunak said self-employed people would get extra support after many were left unprotected by measures rushed through at the start of the first lockdown.