By Karim Fatehi OBE

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but for small business owners, it doesn’t feel like it.

Across London, cafes, barbers, florists and family-run shops are hanging up decorations while quietly wondering if they’ll break even this December. They’re working 70-hour weeks to make sure that their customers have a good Christmas, while wondering if they can afford one themselves.

The Chancellor has made it clear that businesses can expect tax rises in the upcoming Budget. That would be a mistake.

London businesses need a Budget that backs them, not one that burdens them. Business rates in London are already among the highest in the country, placing a heavy burden on firms trying to grow and create........

© LBC