Peterborough Labour has said that Labour is on the side of small businesses and supporting our high streets, while setting out Labour’s policies during the tenth anniversary of Small Business Saturday in the city.
According to the Federation of Small Businesses, SMEs make up 99% of the business population in the UK and create 16 million jobs. Now in its tenth year, Small Business Saturday celebrates this success and encourages consumers to ‘shop local’ and to support businesses in their communities.
Labour’s Andrew Pakes highlighted the difficulties faced by small businesses with business rates, a crashed economy, soaring energy costs and supply chain issues, and how this has impacted on businesses on and off the high street.
Labour has recognised the support that small businesses need not only to survive but to thrive. This is why the party has pledged to cut and eventually entirely scrap business rates, replacing them with a new form of business taxation fit for the 21st Century.
Andrew Pakes said that Labour will make online giants pay their fair share and introduce annual revaluations of business rates, with savings passed on immediately to small businesses. This would support small businesses rebuilding from the crashed economy, and level the playing field between online giants and bricks and mortar businesses.
Support for the self-employed was also highlighted by Cllr Shaz Nawaz as a crucial part of Labour’s pro-worker, pro-business agenda. Labour will extend the protections for self-employed workers including the right to sick pay.
Andrew Pakes, Labour & Co-operative Parliamentary Candidate said:
“I am delighted to support this tenth anniversary year of Small Business Saturday. Small businesses do so much to enrich our lives and our community in Peterborough, providing jobs, training and driving economic growth.
“I know that businesses have faced massive adversity and hardship over the last few years and beyond, and now face further challenges like unfair business rates, supply chain issues and soaring energy costs.
“Labour understands the support that small businesses in Peterborough need, and this is why Labour will make online giants pay their fair share and introduce an annual business rates revaluation, with savings passed on to small businesses immediately.”