Liberal Democrat Treasury spokeswoman Christine Jardine says chancellor must offer certainty to businesses because 'people's lives and livelihoods' are on the line; Politician says she met with Ross and Cromarty CAB and Wester Ross business interests in assessing situation ahead of crunch budget
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A leading Liberal Democrat says that the concerns voiced by Highland businesses are at the heart of the party's plans ahead of tomorrow's UK budget.
Treasury spokeswoman Christine Jardine says she sat down with a range of businesses in preparation for this year's budget to re-centre policies on areas like the Highlands.
She is calling on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to offer certainty in the tax and spend plans because “small businesses in the Highlands are suffering” and people’s “lives and livelihoods” on the line.
Before issuing the call she met representatives of Belladrum Music Festival, the Highland Business Partnership, Highland Holiday the self-catering lets in Gairloch, and the area manager of the Ross & Cromarty Citizens Advice Bureau.
She believes key issues for the Chancellor – with many powers devolved to Holyrood – relate to business support and how well he can offer security as the UK begins to emerge from the pandemic.
But Ms Jardine also argued that the Highland economy must not fall victim to horse-trading between the parliaments so it is important for the Scottish Government to work well with Westminster to guarantee the success of the recovery.
“Hospitality, events, tourism generally, retail – what came out of it to me was that small businesses in the Highlands are suffering,” she said.
“We are at the point in this crisis where what we need is for the Chancellor to come out with a long-term plan to reassure businesses, they need some confidence, they need some clarity and they need some certainty.
“People are going to the wall who've put decades into businesses, in the Highlands, like everywhere else in the country, and they're now finding that through no fault of their own they are losing them, jobs are being lost and we need to protect people.
“What I would say to the Chancellor, and what came through loud and clear from the businesses earlier, is that it is about the people who work for these businesses who own these businesses who've invested in these businesses.
“They are the ones who are suffering and we should stop thinking about it as businesses – it's people and people's livelihoods.”
Key to that will be support for areas such as tourism and events, she said: “What I heard is that events – like Belladrum – are going to need some help.
"Tourism – we can never ever underestimate the value of the tourism industry, it has to be managed properly but its value to Scotland and the rural economy is huge.”
