The UK government should extend its business support measures before the next budget to help firms through the ongoing CCP virus lockdown, a leading British business group said on Tuesday. In a letter to Rishi Sunak, the chancellor of the Exchequer, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) urged the government to extend the Job Retention Scheme to the end of June, give firms more time to pay VAT bills, and extend the business rates holiday. CBI Director-General Tony Danker said that the government’s support measures have “protected many jobs and livelihoods.” “But almost a year of disrupted demand and extensive restrictions to company operations is taking its toll. Staff morale has taken a hit. And business resilience has hit a sobering new low.” He urged the government to “stand shoulder-to-shoulder with businesses” and help viable enterprises survive the lockdown. Noting that “many tough decisions for business owners on jobs, or …