Furloughing and COVID-19: assessing regulatory reform of the state

Abstract This article assesses regulatory reform of the state in context move to furloughing UK. It establishes that was a successful response COVID-19 crisis, partly because it challenged traditional UK crisis non-state intervention labour market. Furloughing prevented higher unemployment and enabled swifter recovery. The also identifies limits (not least its temporary nature) but argues key lessons from (including direct support for job retention) should be used devise new policies aimed at promoting more sustainable equal economy.