Wimbledon MP shows support for local businesses struggling from budget blows

• Wimbledon MP Paul Kohler has issued a stark warning about the future of the area’s high streets, raising concerns of local business owners reeling from the financial blows delivered in the recent Budget
• This Small Business Saturday, Mr Kohler is calling on the Government to urgently fix broken business rates system and issue emergency VAT cut

Paul has visited small businesses across Wimbledon constituency, from hospitality venues, to shops, hearing first-hand from business owners about the pressure they’re feeling.

Paul warned that local independent businesses are “buckling under the weight of spiralling costs” which have been made worse by the Government’s business rates budget bombshell. Small businesses, already struggling with rents, staffing shortages, soaring costs and National Insurance hikes, now also face tax rises worth tens of thousands.

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to listen to small businesses by urgently fixing our broken business rates system and implementing an emergency 5% VAT cut for hospitality businesses until April 2027, funded by a windfall tax on banks.

Commenting, Paul Kohler said:

“Small businesses should be at the heart of Wimbledon’s high streets. However sadly, those remaining are buckling under the weight of spiralling costs. Speaking to owners, many tell me this has been their toughest year yet.”

“Labour has utterly let down our small businesses, from introducing the disastrous jobs tax to hitting them with a hidden business rates tax hike at the Budget.”

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

“The Lib Dems warned long ago that hospitality faced an existential crisis, driven by post‑Brexit labour shortages, pandemic-era debt, soaring wages, energy price hikes and runaway commodity costs under the previous Tory government. But this, supposedly, pro-growth Labour government has continued to administer death by a thousand cuts.”