We must cut red tape and shift taxes to put small businesses at heart of UK economic recovery, Caroline Lucas will tell Federation of Small Businesses
Caroline Lucas is to set out Green Party policies to promote small businesses as a vital cornerstone of the economy.
The Green Party leader and Brighton Pavilion candidate will be addressing a meeting hosted by the Federation of Small Businesses on Wednesday in the constituency where she is tipped by pollsters ICM and YouGov to win in the 6 May election (1).
"Greens have been championing small businesses for years and I welcome the opportunity to present our ideas in such an important forum," Caroline Lucas said today.
"We are advocating a comprehensive range of policies that would benefit small businesses. We think PAYE should be simplified and National Insurance should be merged into income tax.
"We would also want to reduce corporation tax to 20% for small firms, and increase it to 30% for large ones. We argue that the government should promote green investment banks and concentrate on rebuilding the country's manufacturing base.
"Green MPs would also want to amend planning laws to allow appropriate small businesses to operate in residential areas, and to ensure that all large new retail developments include spaces for small local businesses.
"Small businesses should be at the heart of our economic recovery, but they are severely hampered by red tape. Government should offer help to cope with the regulations and provide tailored advice on energy efficiency.
"The government should also end the rules which make it difficult for those on benefit to take on part-time work - a move that would make more people available to work for small firms, and would help people into work.
"The Green Party is also proposing an investment package that would create a million new jobs in environmental industries. I look forward to presenting these policies to the Federation of Small Businesses."
Notes
1. The candidates' hustings organised by the East Sussex Region of the Federation of Small Businesses will be held at the Ambassador Hotel, New Steine on Wednesday April 21 starting at 1800.