Britain faces a jobs crisis and the Labour Group on North West Leicestershire District Council tabled a motion to this month's full council meeting calling on the Government to change course before it's too late.

The Government has begun its one-size-fits-all withdrawal of support for businesses which have furloughed their staff.

Every employer is starting to pay National Insurance and pension contributions for the hours an employee is on furlough, ramping up the cost to business of furloughing employees between now and October.

The Government should be targeting support where it's needed most, not withdrawing it in one fell swoop.

For those worst hit by the crisis, this is the first stage of a python-like squeeze on jobs.

Labour has set out its five-point plan to put people first and intervene where it is needed.

We need to save jobs, protect incomes and make it safe to work:

1. Fight for jobs: by reforming the furlough scheme so that it supports jobs in the worst-hit sectors and targets aid to struggling industries.

1. Back our businesses: by setting up a £1.7 billion fightback fund to prevent firms going under and save our high streets.

1. Leave no-one behind: by providing additional support to areas forced into local lockdowns, supporting the self-employed and helping those left out of existing schemes.

1. Keep workers safe: by protecting workers' rights, boosting sick pay, making workplaces safe and giving our NHS and care services the resources to avoid a second wave.

1. Drive job creation: by investing in infrastructure, accelerating progress towards a zero-carbon economy and increasing access to skills and training opportunities.

The five-point plan was the main focus of the motion to council, which also called on the Government to get test, trace and isolate functioning properly to build public confidence.

In the debate, Labour councillors backed the call from the airline industry for testing at airports as an alternative to quarantine.

Putting the motion to council, Labour Group Leader Cllr Sean Sheahan quoted Charlie Cornish, chief executive of the company that runs East Midlands Airport, one of the district's largest employers: "Throughout the pandemic, there has been no evidence of any recognition from the Government of the need to protect the travel industry.

"With so many jobs at risk and so little confidence that the Prime Minister understands the urgency of the situation, you can understand why our industry feels left behind."

Cllr Sheahan closed the debate by challenging any councillors who were thinking of voting against the motion to ask themselves these three questions:

What happens when the furlough scheme ends in October?

How will they answer the complaint from one of the district's biggest employers about Government inaction?

The motion was defeated 14-21 with all the Tories voting against.

Cllr Sheahan said: "Labour put forward a good case and although we lost the vote, we forced the local Tory councillors to take a share of the Government's responsibility for letting a health crisis develop into a jobs crisis."