This Small Business Saturday (6 December), MP for Kingston and Surbiton, Ed Davey voiced his support for small businesses, struggling from the blows dealt by the Chancellor at the recent Budget.

Ed Davey heard from several business owners from across the Borough. Each told the Liberal Democrat leader the rise in employers' National Insurance,  business rates and the cost of utilities has put pressure on their businesses. 

One business owner voiced how the impact of these pressures is so massive; they may need to shut down. 

Ed Davey warned that businesses in the Royal Borough of Kingston are "buckling under the weight of spiralling costs" which have been made worse by the Government's business rates budget bombshell which has left small businesses facing tax rises worth tens of thousands. 

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to listen to small businesses in the Royal Borough of Kingston by "fixing our broken business rates system" and implementing an emergency 5% VAT cut for hospitality businesses until April 2027. 

Ed Davey MP said: "Here in Kingston and Surbiton we are rightly proud of our small businesses, they are what makes our Borough so special. However, sadly, so many are buckling under the weight of spiralling costs. 

"Labour has utterly let down our small businesses, from introducing their disastrous jobs tax to hitting them with an unexpected business rates tax hike at the Budget. 

"I fear that without intervention, many businesses may struggle to survive. That is why I am calling on the Government to finally fix our broken business rates system and roll out an emergency VAT cut for the next eighteen months."