Seema Malhotra MP, the Shadow Minister for Business and Consumers, and Keir Starmer MP, the Leader of the Labour Party, have attended a roundtable held by the British Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce at the Birmingham Energy Innovation Centre.

The two heard from fifteen business leaders from across Greater Birmingham who raised concerns about the impact of the Government’s disastrous mini-budget and shared their thoughts on what is needed from the next Labour Government to support small businesses.

Seema Malhotra said: “Small businesses are the backbone of the UK economy, making up over 99 per cent of businesses and employing over three fifths of people working in the private sector. In the West Midlands, 2.35 million people are employed in the private sector. Many of these are also Asian family run businesses like the family business in which I grew up.

“Keir Starmer’s Labour Party is serious about building a strong partnership with business that is pro-business and pro-worker. No government can achieve its goals without working with business. We want the needs of SMEs to be heard at the heart of government.

“We know the success of businesses that employ so many in local communities is vital for the levelling up of our towns and cities. That’s why we will support them to grow and be successful.”