Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, urged employers not to lay off workers in sectors largely closed down by the Chinese coronavirus outbreak sector, promising to fund 80 per cent of workers’ pay if bosses put staff on furlough instead.

“I know people are worried. I know that some people in the last few days have already lost their jobs. To all those at home anxious about the days ahead, I say this: you will not face this alone,” said the Chancellor, after the Government finally moved to shut down hospitality businesses such as pubs, cafes, and restraurants, as well as public entertainment venues like cinemas and theatres and gyms.

“Let me speak directly to businesses: I know it’s incredibly difficult out there — we in government are doing everything we can to support you. The government is doing its best to stand behind you and I’m asking you to do your best to stand behind our workers,” Sunak implored.

Sadly, the measures have come too late for some workers, such as Britannia Hotels employees near Aviemore, Scotland, who were told they were sacked and must vacate their on-site accommodation with almost no notice — a move the business now claims was an “administrative error” following public backlash.

Exclusive: EU has blown big hole in Rishi Sunak's bailout package under state aid rules Grants & 'tax advantages' capped at €800,000 *per company* Big retailers & hotel chains will see little benefit from Sunak’s pledged £20bn business rates holidayhttps://t.co/qNihItFbfx — Steven Swinford (@Steven_Swinford) March 21, 2020

The EU argues the one year business rates holiday is a selective because it goes to specific sectors – retail, leisure and hospitality It says it needs to be available to all businesses as a general measure to comply with state aid rules UK intends to push ahead regardless — Steven Swinford (@Steven_Swinford) March 21, 2020

As the finance minister was announcing the measures as part of an “unprecedented” package of government support for businesses through the pandemic, however, the European Union was reportedly moving to block certain aspects of his aid package.

According to Steven Swinford, the deputy political editor at The Times, the European Commission believes that, for example, offering business rates exemptions to specific sectors rather than all sectors violates state EU aid rules.

Britain technically left the EU at the end of January, but despite losing its representation in the European Council and European Parliament, very little has changed, with the country remaining subject to its laws, judges, and Free Movement migration regime — to the extent that the pandemic has not disrupted it — through a so-called “transition” period to the end of December, which may now be extended.

As if it didn’t have enough on its plate, Italy was today hit with a €7.5m fine by the EU for the ‘crime’ of providing state aid to the hotel industry in Sardinia. https://t.co/0r7evA9t5c — Paul Embery (@PaulEmbery) March 13, 2020

Follow Jack Montgomery on Twitter: @JackBMontgomery