Prime Minister must act now before it’s too late for businesses – Murphy

Date published: 7 September 2022

Speaking during a visit to Dungannon where he met local businesses, Conor Murphy said: “I heard first hand today of the hardship businesses continue to experience as the cost of living crisis deepens and energy prices continue to rise. Every day we hear of businesses left with no choice but to cease trading or to compress their opening hours in order to make savings on running costs.

“The unpredictable, crippling energy bills facing our small businesses are not sustainable. For months I have been calling on the British Government to intervene to support businesses and their workers. Liz Truss must act now before it’s too late for more businesses. The Westminster Government must step up and urgently deliver support which makes a real difference.

“The message from businesses is clear. They want meaningful measures to be taken. For a start, action should be taken immediately to reduce VAT and duties on fuel and energy bills. The reduced VAT for the hospitality sector must also be reinstated to assist these businesses, which were so adversely impacted by the pandemic. Given the ever deepening crisis, more will need to be done to tackle the scale of energy bills expected over the winter months.”

Minister Murphy concluded: “It is essential that any package of measures put in place is delivered quickly to support our businesses and protect the jobs of those they employ.”