Caroline has written to the Mayor of London about his support for small and medium-sized businesses in London. SMEs in London need support as a crucial part of our economy, not just now, but also as lockdown is eased and they face the next set of challenges. They have real worries about facing a cliff-edge when the furlough scheme ends, with businesses having to close and workers losing their jobs.
As a study by the Trust for London showed that 2.5 million Londoners were living in poverty even before the coronavirus crisis, Caroline Pidgeon said:
"This report makes for depressing reading.
"There is a huge chasm in the life chances facing those that are well off and those that come from a background of poverty.
"For far too long London has relied on its economic growth on the back of a growing number of low paid jobs."
Caroline Pidgeon has strongly criticised the government for excluding independent and community newspapers and websites from its public health advertising drive during the coronavirus crisis.
Caroline told the South East London-based 853 community website:
Caroline Pidgeon has written to the Met Police's Deputy Commissioner to ask for an update on issues around speeding in London during the COVID-19 lockdown and some long-standing concerns on speeding, as well as praising the Met for the quick action they have taken to try and tackle increased speeding since lockdown began.
Caroline has written today to London's Strategic Coordination Group for COVID-19 asking how nurseries in London are being supported, and to urge them to lobby the Government to ensure nurseries and nursery workers are supported through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Caroline is supporting a petition to ask the government to pay furloughed nursery workers through the job retention scheme. Please take a look at the petition and consider signing!
