Ministers "burying their heads in the sand" - Lib Dems respond to Starmer small business announcement

EMBARGO: IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Speaking in response to Keir Starmer's announcement about cracking down on late payments to small businesses, Liberal Democrat Business Spokesperson Sarah Olney MP said: 

"Steps to tackle the scourge of late payments are welcome, but today’s announcement falls far short of a proper small business plan.

"Small businesses are the beating heart of our economy and our local communities, yet they’ve had to suffer through years of chaos under the last Conservative Government and are now being badly hit by this Government’s damaging National Insurance hike.

"Ministers can’t go on burying their heads in the sand about the huge challenges that SMEs face. We must urgently see a proper plan centred on scrapping the National Insurance rise, fixing business rates and cutting sky-high energy bills."

ENDS