MP backs manifesto for small businesses

Date published: 02 January 2015


OLDHAM MP Debbie Abrahams is continuing her support for small businesses against late payments — and says such businesses are currently owed around £46 billion by larger customers.

Mrs Abrahams is backing the Federation of Small Businesses’ (FSB) Business Manifesto 2015-2020 which calls for the next Government to take action on late payments.

A survey of 2,500 FSB members shows almost one in five said they have faced “supply chain bullying” in one form or another in the past two years.

Unveiling its business manifesto, the FSB is calling on politicians to back small business if elected to Parliament in next May’s general election, setting out what small firms want the next Government to do.

Mrs Abrahams said: “It is great to see FSB challenging politicians on key small business issues, especially late payment.

“The FSB is calling for a toughening up of the Prompt Payment Code, as well as fresh measures to stamp out the worst examples of bad practice like retrospective discounting and ‘pay to stay’.

“These immoral tactics, which simply turn small businesses into credit lines for larger companies, are condoned by the chief executives and board members, who set the payment culture, and should be viewed as being as immoral as tax evasion.”