Small firms will go out of business if the government does not back a campaign to Keep Trade Local, organisers have claimed.
According to Clive Davenport, trade and industry chairman for the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), SMEs are under serious threat due to the economic turmoil.
He said: "Politicians, both locally and nationally, can make a difference by putting in place transparent and fair planning and procurement policies. But they need to wake up quickly to prevent disaster and Keep Trade Local."
Small firms are at the heart of the economy, as well as local communities and they must be supported, he added.
The Keep Trade Local manifesto covers issues such as parking charges, business rates relief, crime prevention and public procurement, all of which must be addressed, Mr Davenport explained.
Yesterday, the FSB urged the government to cut VAT on locally supplied services, claiming that this would help boost the high street.
