Commons Sense: Tan Dhesi says Government too slow to protect airlines

The dreaded news that British Airways is cutting 12,000 jobs will come as a major blow to the many Slough residents who work for the airline, or have family and friends who do.
 
The reach of coronavirus is so wide that it touches every aspect of our society and our lives. Very few of us are experiencing life as we normally would, and one of the industries to be hardest hit has been the global aviation industry, which is now in the midst of a full-blown crisis.

 
British Airways is not just any airline – it’s the UK’s flag carrier. There is no doubt these job losses will have knock-on effects for the whole UK airline industry, and for the companies and airports supporting British Airways’ operations. I hope it doesn’t lead to more job losses, but I fear it will unless the Government steps in to act.
 
With Heathrow on our doorstep, Slough knows more than most how critical the aviation industry is to the UK economy. The reality is the Government has been far too slow to step in to deliver the support that the whole airline industry was crying out for.
 
The new Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Jim McMahon MP, got it right earlier this week when he said “it was always clear aviation needed a sector specific deal to alleviate the immediate financial pressures that exist, yet the Government failed to act.”
 
As the newly appointed Shadow Transport Minister, responsible for Rail, I agree with Jim that the Government has been too slow. But I am not surprised. If there was one word I would use to describe the Government’s handling of the coronavirus, it would be “slow”. Slow on PPE for NHS and social care staff, slow on testing, slow to support businesses, the self-employed and many of those left unemployed. And unlike nations such as Germany and the USA, far too slow in bringing home Brits stranded abroad. At the current rate, there will still be thousands stranded months from now. This is especially frustrating; it’s not like there’s a shortage of planes for hire.
 
The Government’s lethargic pace in getting on top of the issues is coming at a hefty price, with lives lost or destroyed. With so many people feeling abandoned right when they need help the most, I know that they won’t be slow in knowing who is responsible.