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.
"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."
