THE empty shops of Barnoldswick show how small businesses have been betrayed by the government, according to Pendle MP Gordon Prentice.

The MP ridiculed a speech by Prime Minister John Major about problems facing small business.

He said: "The Prime Minister wants people to believe he is throwing small businesses in a lifeline - but who put them into difficulties in the first place?

"The British Chamber of Commerce carried out a survey and 57 per cent of small businesses said economic stability should be the Government's top priority.

"Yet the Government's economic failure has led to the failure has led to the failure of countless small firms.

"In Barnoldswick, where I live, there are any number of empty shops which used to be home to thriving businesses.

"Legislation against late payment was wanted by 41 per cent of people in the survey.

"Yet British businesses are owned £232 million in late bills by Government departments.

"The Treasury paid a quarter of its bills late in the last financial year. And as we know what the Deputy Prime Minister thinks about late payment - do it as long as you can get away with it seems to be the motto of his business career.

"Tax reductions were wanted by 35 per cent of people, but the biggest tax bombshell for businesses and the self employed is the £850 million extra tax arising from the change to self assessment."

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