It comes as David Cameron pledges to treble start-up loans and invest in broadband in a small firms manifesto. Labour says the Tories "let down" small firms by failing to boost finance. Business spokesman Chuka Umunna said the government had overseen an increase in business rates of around £1,500 and Labour would cut - then freeze - the rates.
In other election news:
Labour continues to push housing policies by pledging to exempt first-time buyers from stamp duty and give them priority for new-build homes
Nick Clegg says every Liberal Democrat held and target seat "is being fought like a by-election" as his party seeks to retain influence
The Green Party announces plans to for rent controls keeping rises in line with inflation
Democratic Unionist leader Nigel Dodds warns in the Guardian that the Conservatives risk "abusing" the Commons with "English votes for English laws"
Via the party website, the Conservatives have been encouraging firms to sign the letter supporting the party's business policies.
The 5,000 small and medium-sized firms who signed up employ a total of about 100,000 people. There are, at least, 5.2 million such businesses in the UK. The text praises the coalition's efforts to "get the economy moving again by tackling the deficit, helping to keep interest rates low and inflation down".
It states: "We've been helped by their steps to lower taxes, reduce red tape, simplify employment law and get the banks lending."
After repeating the Conservatives' claim that small businesses have been creating 1,000 jobs a day, the letter adds: "We would like to see David Cameron and George Osborne given the chance to finish what they have started." Its publication coincides with the launch of the Conservatives' small business manifesto, which aims to see 600,000 new firms created each year by 2020.
In a speech in north London, David Cameron will reiterate promises to keep taxes low, cut red tape, treble the number of start-up loans and invest in infrastructure like superfast broadband. The document also includes a commitment to review the "disadvantages faced by the self-employed" - now 15% of the labour force - including accessing maternity pay and building up pensions.
Mr Cameron will pay tribute to small firms' job creation, calling small businesses "the backbone of our economy". "We know it's the people who take risks, start out on their own, wake up at the crack of dawn to open up their shop and do their books on the kitchen table at midnight who create jobs," he's expected to say.
"We are the party of the grafters and the roofers and the retailers and the plumbers. We get them, we respect them, we understand them, we back them." However, Mr Umunna said: "The Tories have spent five years letting down Britain's small businesses.
"Government scheme after government scheme designed to boost finance for small firms has failed, and small business lending has fallen by £500m in the last three months. "With Labour, the tax burden on small firms will be lower than under the Tories."
He said his party would address late payments and "unfair treatment of small suppliers" and set up a British Investment Bank to back small businesses.
bbc.com
No comments:
Post a Comment