FSB: MPs local turkey pledge is not crackers

MPs are being urged by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) to Keep Trade Local by buying their turkey and sprouts from local shops this Christmas.

The FSB is lobbying Members of Parliament to source their Christmas dinner locally and is delighted that Ian Cawsey MP has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) in Parliament calling on his fellow MPs to buy their festive feast from local shops. The Motion has already received cross party support from MPs including Simon Hughes (Liberal Democrat) and Brian Binley (Conservative).

FSB National Chairman, John Wright, said:

“Each year more than 2,000 small shops are forced to close, and in these testing times we fear that number could rise. This Christmas we ask for MPs to support our small shops on our high streets and in our communities. Buying your Christmas dinner locally puts 50 per cent of what you spend back into the local economy, as opposed to only five per cent spent in supermarkets and chain stores.

“We are urging small businesses, to contact their MP and ask them to sign the EDM ‘MPs Christmas Dinners.’

Ian Cawsey MP, said:

“I very much support the campaign by the Federation of Small Businesses to support local shops. I am lucky that in the village I live in we have a butcher and a fruit and vegetable shop that sources much of their produce from local farms so I do what I can to support them and I encourage others to do the same. The idea of MPs sourcing their Christmas dinner from local shops is a great one, I’ll be doing that and I hope my colleagues are successful; in being able to do so”.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The FSB has set up a Keep Trade Local Petition on the Number 10 website, which is available at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/keeptradelocal/.

Over 50 per cent of the turnover of independent retailers goes to the local community, compared with just five per cent from supermarkets. In the UK, 2,000 local shops are closing each year; since 1990, 40 per cent of bank branches have closed; 2,500 Post Offices face closure across the country; and around 27 pubs a week, circa four pubs a day, are closing.

For details on the FSB’s Keep Trade Local campaign contact Aviva Bresky at aviva.bresky@fsb.org.uk.

The FSB is Britain’s biggest business organisation with over 215,000 members. It exists to protect and promote the interests of the self-employed, and all those who run their own business. More information is available at www.fsb.org.uk.

Contacts:

Stephen Alambritis: 020 7592 8112/07788 422155
Sophie Kummer: 020 7592 8128/07917628998
Prue Watson 020 7592 8121/07825 125695
Marc Shoffman 020 7592 8113/07595 067068

For regional FSB contacts please go to www.fsb.org.uk/regions