On Small Business Saturday, Labour hails “monumental effort” of
local businesses during pandemic and calls on Government to
support businesses through winter
has led Labour’s tributes on Small Business Saturday
to local businesses across the country for their “monumental
effort” during the Covid-19 crisis. The Labour leader called on
the Government to repay the “huge sacrifices” made by small
businesses by providing a proper package of support to see them
through the crucial winter months.
Praising small businesses for stepping up and supporting their
local communities during the pandemic, Starmer also urged the
public to support local businesses “this Saturday and beyond,” as
many business owners face a fight for survival. Many businesses
across the country – particularly in the hospitality sector –
face continued restrictions in the run-up to Christmas without
sufficient financial support from the Government.
On Monday, Starmer and Shadow Chancellor hosted a
webinar with hundreds of small business owners and the Small
Business Saturday team. The pair took part in a Q&A with
businesses, committing to fight for better Government support for
businesses in hard-pressed sectors like hospitality. also pressed the Prime Minister to support the retail
sector on Wednesday at Prime Minister’s Questions.
Today’s intervention follows a series of virtual and physical
visits by Labour’s top team in recent days, celebrating small
businesses up and down the country. Starmer visited the
Portsmouth Gin Distillery – which switched to manufacturing hand
sanitizer for their local area – and took a virtual tour of
Alexandra Workwear in Bristol, which transformed production to
produce over half a million pieces of life-saving PPE for
frontline NHS staff.
On Friday, warned that hundreds of thousands of small
businesses reopening this Saturday may not make it to Spring
without extra government support, as new analysis revealed an
estimated 390,000 small businesses are worried they won’t survive
the next three months.
, Leader of the Labour Party said:
“Small businesses across the country have made a monumental
effort during this crisis. They have stepped up when it was most
needed, supporting their local communities and making huge
sacrifices to help tackle the spread of the virus. Now we must
repay them.
“The Government must ensure businesses, particularly those facing
the toughest restrictions, are supported to see them through the
winter.
“This Small Business Saturday and beyond, we can all do our bit
to stand by small businesses, by shopping safely where we live,
including online, or ordering from local restaurants.
“On behalf of the Labour Party I want to celebrate the small
businesses who are at the heart of our communities. We will stand
by them over the crucial months ahead in fighting for the support
they need.”
, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, said:
“Shops, pubs, manufacturers, hotels and hairdressers, beauty
salons and suppliers, breweries and bakeries, and small
businesses of all kinds have been on the frontline of the
economic crisis.
"This is a day to celebrate the millions of these small
businesses at the heart of our communities and the workers they
employ. They represent the best of our country.”
Ends
Notes to editors:
- Other members of Labour’s front bench showed their support
for small businesses this week. Shadow Business Secretary
held a roundtable with East Midlands businesses on
Friday, Shadow Business Minister held a ‘Shop Local’ campaign event with businesses
in Bolton, and Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury made a
virtual visit to businesses on Swindon High Street.
