CANDIDATE EXTENDS BUSINESS SURVEY AS UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES SPIRAL (Birmingham Yardley Liberal Democrats)

Birmingham Yardley Liberal Democrats <info@libdems.org.uk>

CANDIDATE EXTENDS BUSINESS SURVEY AS UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES SPIRAL

January 28, 2009 12:31 PM
Originally published by West Midlands Liberal Democrats

Local Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, Richard Burt will be taking time over the coming weeks to 'knock on the doors' of businesses across West Worcestershire to find out what help they need to survive the credit crunch.

Mr Burt will also ask business owners to complete his small business survey, which will be emailed to hundreds of other businesses across the county to fill in online.

"Last November I invited Vince Cable to Worcestershire to find out directly from businesses just how the credit crunch had affected order books and profits," said Richard. "However, since then things have got a whole lot worse."

"Everywhere you look businesses are closing down and jobs are being lost. The number of people unemployed and registered for Job Seekers Allowance across Worcestershire shot up by 68.98% to 9,074 last month, compared to 5,370 claiming JSA in December 2007

"This is desperately worrying and I want to find out just what local business needs most to help ride out the storm.

"Results from the small business survey will be used by Lib Dem Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable and his team in parliament to help get government action.

"Locally, I want to find out what owners feel councils and business organisations are already doing well, and what they could do better.

"The Government's failures to regulate banking and the disastrous consequences of City greed and recklessness have infected the entire economy and are being felt by all of us."