ONE of the many important issues consistently raised with me by constituents in the last few months is the holes in Covid-19 financial support. While the UK Government’s furlough scheme has provided a welcome safety net for millions, millions more have fallen through the gaps and been unable to access support.

Last week, this issue came to the fore at both the Scottish and UK Parliaments. At Holyrood, Scottish Labour tabled a motion calling on the Scottish Government to provide additional support for tourism and hospitality. Our motion, which mandated ministers to take action to protect jobs, livelihoods and the future of the industry, was passed and they should now act immediately.

We are also highlighting the dire circumstances facing taxi drivers, many of whom have played a vital role in fighting the pandemic. Many have fallen into debt and face the prospect of losing their livelihoods unless rules governing existing schemes are changed.

Across the UK, there are an estimated three million self-employed workers who have often struggled to access Government financial support. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer highlighted their plight at last week’s PMQs and urged the Prime Minister and Chancellor to address the injustice facing these “excluded” workers.

These workers cover a vast range of people, including new starters, those in between jobs, those denied furlough, the newly self-employed and new businesses, those earning less than 50 per cent of their income from self-employment, and a whole range of other personal circumstances affecting eligibility through no fault of their own.

With many months of restrictions likely still ahead of us, this issue is not going away. It is a matter of fairness and justice, and Governments in Edinburgh and London must do more.