Liberal Democrats in Business

News and views from the Lib Dem Treasury, Trade and Industry Teams and Business Forum

Britain Becomes A Ghost Town Nation As Small Firms Die - Cotter

12.00.00am GMT Mon 15th Dec 2003

Responding to today's report from the New Economics Foundation, which indicates that Britain has lost a third of its bank branch network over the last decade Brian Cotter MP, Liberal Democrat Small Business Spokesman, said: "Far from being a 'nation of shopkeepers', Britain is fast becoming a country of ghost towns, with the rapid closure of independent shops and businesses on the local high street."

"Small businesses represent the very heart of our communities and provide essential services to local people, particularly the elderly or those without transport who cannot afford to visit out of town shopping centres for their daily needs."

"The Government must take urgent action to help struggling small firms with the burden of red tape and business rates in order to ensure their long term survival."

[Print this story]
[Previous story]: Vincent Cable: The Dance-Crazy Politician Aiming To Match Gordon Brown Step For Step (Fri 12th Dec 2003).
[Next story]: Over 3/4 Million Manufacturing Jobs Lost Since Labour Came To Power - Holmes (Wed 17th Dec 2003).
[Other news stories from December 2003 (21)]

Related News Stories:

Tue 29th Jun 2004:

[Late Payments Of £20bn Cripple Small Business - Cotter]

Tue 13th Apr 2004:

[Name And Shame Big Firms Who Pay Late - Cotter]

Tue 24th Feb 2004:

[Lib Dems Demand Consultation On Taxation Of Small Firms ]

Mon 9th Feb 2004:

[Small Businesses Used As Unpaid Tax Collectors - Cotter]

Wed 21st Jan 2004:

[Lib Dem MP Brian Cotter - Name And Shame Big Firms Who Pay Late]

Fri 4th Jul 2003:

[GOVERNMENT SHOULD GET OFF THE BACK OF SMALL BUSINESS - COTTER]

Related Press Articles:

Mon 1st Mar 2004:

[Small Firms left waiting for action as late payment increases ]

Printed and hosted by Prater Raines Partners, 82b Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BX.
Published and promoted by Liberal Democrats in Business, 4 Cowley Street, London SW1P 3NB.
The views expressed are those of the party, not of the service provider.