Heidi Alexander made a speech questioning why the government were proposing a National Insurance holiday for business outside London, but were not making the same provision available for London businesses.
She points out that 38% of Lewisham’s population work in the public sector, which she logically presumes will fall as a result of the cuts the government are intent on; that there are already over 9,000 job seekers with only 587 local jobs available; and new businesses in Lewisham are less likely to survive than the national average.
She argues:
By not providing the same concessions to businesses in Lewisham as to new businesses elsewhere in the country, the Government are effectively limiting the prospects for my constituents who want to find work. Let us not forget that even in London it is necessary to stimulate employment in the sub-regional economy. Public sector jobs are often local to where people live, so mums and dads who face being made redundant by local councils will be keen to find local work that will fit around their caring responsibilities. Why are the Government intent on making it harder for them to find work in new private sector enterprises by excluding London start-ups from the national insurance concession?
Read the whole thing here.
