LABOUR MSP Katy Clark has broken ranks to back Nicola Sturgeon's demand for furlough to be brought back.

Clark, who was elected to Holyrood in May and is a former MP on the left of the party, called on the UK Government to reboot the scheme to support workers affected by winter Covid-19 restrictions.

She spoke out after the First Minister announced new restrictions and guidance to Scots urging them to limit social contact in a bid to slow the spread of the highly transmissable Omicron variant.

Her statement to Holyrood followed advice issued last Thursday by Public Health Scotland to people to defer Christmas parties.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon asks Scots to minimise contact amid Omicron

The moves led to mass cancellations of bookings in the hospitality sector in what is normally its busiest time of the year.

Clark, who is a Scottish Labour MSP for the West Scotland region, said bringing back the job retention scheme was needed to prevent job losses and businesses going bust as the Omicron variant rapidly accelerates through the population.

She also called on Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross to pressure the Treasury into providing cash for furlough and ensuring the scheme is reintroduced on both sides of the border.

In late November, the UK Treasury rejected a request from the Scottish Government for funding to reintroduce furlough.

“The Omicron variant is one of the most serious threats we have faced during this pandemic," Clark said. 

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon: Tory claims of extra funding are just smoke and mirrors

"That means serious measures must be in place to protect public health and people’s jobs on both sides of the border.

"Workers need to be able to fully comply with Covid measures without fear of losing their jobs. That means furlough must be brought back at the levels provided on the same terms as at the start of the pandemic, and workers forced to isolate must be given full sick pay.

"The UK Government seem to have their heads in the sand about this issue and are blocking furlough funding requests from devolved governments.

"This time last year, Douglas Ross demanded the Prime Minister include Scotland in a reintroduced furlough scheme. The situation is no less serious now: he and his party should be demanding the same now.”

Clark is understood to be the first Labour MSP to call for the Treasury to reintroduce furlough, a move already backed by the STUC and the Greens as well as the SNP.

Her call follows a row over money the Treasury said yesterday was being made available to help the Scottish Government deal with the Omicron variant.
Scottish Greens MSP Gillian Mackay said in Holyrood yesterday that it appeared that the Treasury funding fell short of furlough. 

She said: "A lack of furlough fundamentally limits the options that are available to the Scottish Government and this Parliament to tackle the
spread of the omicron variant. What work is ongoing to obtain the financial support that will be required if further measures are needed?"

The First Minister responded: "That is an issue that we have discussed constructively in four-nations meetings over the course of the past week. As members would expect, it is an issue that has been raised by me, the First Minister of Wales and the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland.

"As I said, I have not seen the detail of what the UK Government has announced; I look forward to seeing that later, and I welcome it.

"The basic principle here, which should apply across all parts of the UK, is that, if we feel that it is essential to take measures to protect public health, we should not be constrained in doing so because of financial considerations. 

"It should not be the case that money is triggered only if the UK Government decides to take steps; if the Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish Governments, acting
within devolved responsibilities, think that that is important, we should be able to trigger that support as well.

"It is about parity and not asking for one part of the UK to have an advantage over the other. 

"We all pay for this and it is important that we all have equal access to financial support for businesses and individuals whose livelihoods are on the line.

"Everything should be kept open and under review, including the reinstatement of furlough over what we hope will not be, but might be, a really challenging period for businesses in the weeks to come."

The furlough scheme came to an end on September 30, 2021, with the measure supporting the wages of more than 11.5m workers whose employers did not require them to work.