Areas with most small businesses set to fund National Insurance hike, say Lib Dems

Research published by the Liberal Democrats has revealed the areas of the country with the most small businesses set to be hit by Boris Johnson’s manifesto-breaking National Insurance tax rise.

Analysis by the House of Commons Library commissioned by the party estimates that in 144 constituencies, over 2,000 small businesses are set to pay the new levy. These include the Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s seat of Richmond in Yorkshire.

The Cities of London and Westminster comes top with 28,500 small firms set to pay the new levy. Other areas in the top ten include Manchester Central (4,500), Bristol West (3,500), Glasgow Central (3,500) and Leeds Central (3,000). Across the country, the analysis estimates that almost one million (950,000) small businesses will pay the new jobs tax.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey will today use a campaign visit to North Shropshire marking Small Business Saturday to call on the government to scrap the planned tax hike and offer much-needed relief to small businesses. An estimated 2,000 small businesses in the North Shropshire constituency are expected to have to pay the new manifesto-breaking tax rise. The Liberal Democrats are the main challengers to the Conservatives in the upcoming by-election on December 16th, with Ed Davey making his fourth visit to the constituency since Owen Paterson resigned.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: “These figures show the damage this unfair tax rise will do to entrepreneurs around the country already teetering on the edge.

“Many business owners are worried about how they will get through the difficult winter months. But all Boris Johnson can do is hit them with a manifesto-breaking jobs tax.

“People in North Shropshire and around the country are tired of Boris Johnson’s broken promises and being taken for granted.

“The Conservatives must scrap this hated tax hike that will kick small businesses when they are already down.”