LIVE: Reaction to Chancellor Rishi Sunak's Budget as Teesside emerges as Teesside wins freeport status
Rishi Sunak outlined support “to get people through to the other side of the crisis” – with the furlough scheme and other financial lifelines extended as part of his budget.
The Chancellor told ministers the impact of coronavirus on the national finances cannot be ignored, but the UK can be “optimistic about our recovery”, as he updated the Cabinet ahead of this afternoon’s statement.
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