Chancellor Rishi Sunak has suggested struggling musicians and creatives who are feeling the full weight of the coronavirus pandemic should retrain and find new jobs.
The chancellor made the comments when speaking to ITV News.
When asked about out-of-work creatives seeking new jobs, he said: “I can’t pretend that everyone can do exactly the same job that they were doing at the beginning of this crisis.
“That’s why we’ve put a lot of resource into trying to create new opportunities.”
When asked if he was suggesting musicians, actors and artists should find other employment, Chancellor Sunak also suggested there are still jobs available in the creative industry, and said “as in all walks of life everyone’s having to adapt”.
He added: “Can things happen in exactly the way they did? No. But everyone is having to find ways to adapt and adjust to the new reality.”
The chancellor also told ITV News that unemployment is “likely to increase” and said the government is “trying to do everything we can to protect as many jobs as possible”.
His comments come just days after industry bosses, musicians and crew members demanded more support for the live music industry to avoid devastating damage to the sector.
A petition was also recently launched to urge the government to extend furlough scheme for theatre and the live music industry.