Shadow Minister of Trade meets Stroud Business Members

Cotswold MP, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the Shadow Minister of Trade, had a meeting with over 40 local businessmen and businesswomen to discuss the current economic situation and the effect it was having on businesses. A number of issues were discussed, with particular consideration given to the role of the banks. The meeting was organised by Neil Carmichael the Prospective Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Stroud.

Speaking about the event Mr Clifton-Brown said, “The shadow DBERR (Department for Business and Enterprise) team are beginning to receive a number of worrying reports that the banks are withdrawing their support for small businesses. They are making the cost of borrowing more expensive through hidden charges such as arrangement fees. I hope that they will pass on all reductions in base rate in the future.”

Mr Clifton-Brown continued, “If the taxpayer is providing liquidity for the banks the least they could do in return is to support small business fairly, so that they are able to emerge from the other side of the looming recession”

A variety of issues and concerns were discussed during the meeting, which resulted in a number of very constructive ideas and suggestions being put forward.

Left: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, MP for the Cotswold, Second Right: Neil Carmichael, the Prospective Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Stroud with leading business members of Stroud.

Source: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP (Cotswold)

www.geoffreycliftonbrown.com