Andrew Duff Backs Region's Small Business To Lead Economic Recovery

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 13th May 2009

Speaking to a regional conference of the Federation of Small Businesses at Newmarket Racecourse today, Liberal Democrat MEP Andrew Duff will say:

"Where large firms and banks have failed to sustain economic growth, small and medium sized companies are the real job creators. Because they are closer to their workers and customers, small firms have a better sense of what's going on in the real world.

"Working together with our EU partners to keep the single market open for business is a must. It is all too easy to fall victim to economic nationalism - where the barriers to trade and to the establishment of small companies would be re-erected.

"The EU has made great strides in recent years in recognising the dangers of over-regulation. Labour flexibility and tax competition are necessary factors in making Europe a competitive place to do business.

"Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament continue to work to reduce the quantity and to improve the quality and simplicity of EU law. National parliaments should do much more to help the speedy and clear transposition of EU single market measures.

"Business in the East of England could do more to exploit the liberalised market of public procurement, as well as to use the products of science and technology to meet the EU's ambitious targets to combat climate change and to reduce energy dependence. The East of England Development Agency should be more open to helping small companies which seek finance from the European Investment Bank, with its huge resources.

"The Liberal Democrat message in this election is: 'stronger together, poorer apart'. Tory plans to drive a wedge between the UK and the continent will be disastrous for British business."

END