THE SNP has accused the Tories of making a “deliberate choice” to let unemployment rise which will leave millions of families facing a “bitter winter”.

Ian Blackford, SNP Westminster leader, said the UK Government had prematurely and “recklessly” ended the furlough scheme to replace it with “inadequate half-measures”.

The threat of a “low” or no-deal with the EU at the end of this year after the Brexit transition period comes to the end will add to the squeeze on jobs and living standards, he warned.

UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled his latest emergency jobs package last week ahead of the furlough scheme coming to an end on October 31.

The less generous replacement Job Support Scheme will help wages for employees able to work at least a third of their normal hours.

But a series of warnings have been issued over the risk of soaring unemployment, including from sectors hit hardest by restrictions around Covid.

Blackford said: “Millions of families face a bitter winter of rising unemployment and squeezed living standards – as a result of the Tory Government’s reckless decision to scrap the furlough scheme, and impose an extreme Brexit, during a second wave of coronavirus.

“The Tories have made a deliberate choice to let unemployment soar – just like Thatcher did in the 1980s. They are shirking their responsibilities to thousands of workers, who will now lose their jobs due to woefully inadequate support, and to the many good businesses who have been forced to close or reduce their activity through no fault of their own.

”Yet again, Westminster is proving it cannot be trusted to act in Scotland’s interests.

“By withdrawing support for jobs, blocking the devolution of financial powers, and threatening to impose a low deal or no deal extreme Brexit in a pandemic the Tories are demonstrating the only way to protect Scotland’s economy is to become an independent country.”

The replacement for furlough will cost the Treasury an estimated £300 million a month for every million workers who take up the scheme. In contrast furlough has cost the Government around £6billion a month.

Among the organisations criticising the new initiative last week was the Scottish Tourism Alliance, which said it did not go far enough.

Chief executive Marc Crothall said: “The reality we must all face now is that within the coming days and weeks, businesses owners will lose their livelihoods, thousands will lose their income and the effects on the economy and people’s lives will be nothing short of devastating”.

The British Retail Consortium warned an estimated 130,000 retail jobs had been lost since January and it fears the number could nearly double by the end of the year “despite recent interventions by the Chancellor”.

Torsten Bell, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation think-tank, said Sunak was right to announce fresh support but added that “design flaws mean that the new Job Support Scheme will not live up to its promise to significantly reduce the rise in unemployment”.

The latest ONS labour force survey, published this month, revealed UK unemployment grew to 4.1% in the three months to July and the number of workers in employment had fallen by almost 700,000 since March.

Blackford urged the the Chancellor to “think again” and urgently reinstate a full job protection scheme, as well as give Scotland additional powers to protect the economy.

A Treasury spokesperson said: “The new UK-wide measures announced on Thursday include the Job Support Scheme to protect millions of jobs, extending the Self Employment Income Support Scheme and 15% VAT cut for the hospitality and tourism sectors, and help for businesses in repaying Government-backed loans.

“This package was broadly welcomed by business groups across the UK, including Scotland.

“As the Chancellor has said, it would be fundamentally wrong to hold people in jobs that only exist inside the furlough.

“Our focus will continue to be on creating new opportunities for people in Scotland and supporting them into viable and secure jobs.”