Fears are mounting that Rishi Sunak's £9bn furlough bonus scheme will be a "waste" of public money as experts warn it won't stop mass layoffs.
The Chancellor faces fury over his pledge to give firms £1,000 for each furloughed worker they don't sack by January 31. The "job retention bonus" was the most expensive single pledge in yesterday's £30bn mini-Budget.
Yet the government's own officials and the respected IFS think tank both warn it may not be value for money. Even Mr Sunak admitted today there will be "dead weight" - money going to firms that would keep or sack workers regardless.
The Chancellor said: "Without question there will be dead weight - and there has been dead weight in all of the interventions we have put in place".
Read more on mirror.co.uk