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Simon Lightwood MP welcomed local Wakefield businesses to the Art House to discuss the significant challenges facing businesses during the cost-of-living crisis.
Organised in collaboration with Wakefield BID and the Art House, Simon was joined by high profile Wakefield business representatives at the end of yet another turbulent week for the Government, which led to the sacking of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Home Secretary, and ultimately the resignation of the Prime Minister, Liz Truss MP.
Uncertainty dominated conversation, with Wakefield businesses keen to impress on Simon just how hard it is to keep their heads above the water in the current economic climate.
Simon Lightwood MP says:
“It was a privilege to meet some of Wakefield’s inspirational business leaders and hear first-hand about the challenges and barriers to growth they are currently facing.
“The cost-of-living crisis is a national emergency. Gas prices have drastically increased costs for businesses too. The failed gamble of Trussonomics has only made things worse, leading to the cost of borrowing skyrocketing.
“I will continue to challenge the government’s lamentable underinvestment in Wakefield over the last 12 years and seek the certainty businesses need around the future of the energy price guarantee and business rate relief scheme.
“Wakefield is a unique, vibrant and exciting place to live, work and visit, with so much to offer and so much potential. Despite 12 years of Tory underinvestment, Wakefield has persevered and thrived thanks to the hard work and vision of the Labour-led council.
“We have with some really ambitious regeneration schemes underway including the Wakefield Waterfront, Civic Quarter, old Westgate station, BHS redevelopment, Kirkgate and the redevelopment of the former market hall.
“I will continue to fight for a fairer deal and more investment for Wakefield and be a strong voice for both residents and businesses in Parliament so that we can deliver the secure, well-paid jobs of the future”.
The Art House says:
“Although The Art House is a charity, it's also a small to medium-sized enterprise (SME). We've been through the same challenges over the last three years and are facing the same concerns now as other SMEs in Wakefield. We wanted an opportunity to bring local businesses together at The Art House with Simon so that we could all have an open discussion and bring him up to speed on what is so wonderful about running a business in Wakefield - but also what the challenges are. After a long time of not having a local MP to engage with, we wanted to take the opportunity right from the beginning to bring us all together and build relationships so that Simon can help us achieve the best for our fabulous city.”