Rishi Sunak builds bridge to post-Covid UK – but will it stand up?

Many stretched businesses and workers are wondering how they can survive

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Throughout the pandemic, bridge building has been a favourite metaphor of Rishi Sunak to describe his big-spending economic support packages. Billions of pounds have been spent in furlough wage subsidies, state-backed loans, business grants and tax cuts to carry the British people through the disruption.

Now, faced with the fresh resurgence of the virus leading to lockdown 3.0 in England, yet another chasm in economic activity must be crossed. The chancellor knows a final push is needed, this time as the Covid vaccines raise hopes that the return to relative economic normality is tantalisingly close.