PROPOSALS from both sides of Parliament to help small businesses weather the deepening economic gloom are good news for thousands of rural enterprises like cafes, pubs, jobbing builders and B&Bs.

Both the Government and the Tory opposition have suggested ways of helping such mainly family-run firms to survive the credit crunch, moves welcomed by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), whose 36,000 members include thousand of non-farming enterprises.

Says CLA President Henry Aubrey-Fletcher: “Small businesses that employ four people or fewer are the life blood of the rural economy. They have always been disproportionately weighed down by red tape and often lack the human resources capabilities that large businesses have to cope with the burden of admin.

“With David Cameron proposing 1p National Insurance cuts and Labour responding by offering to pay some bills within 10 days, small businesses have been brought into the spotlight.

“The CLA has always recognised the need to help them as much as possible to get through the credit crunch, and is encouraged by this news. One penny may not sound like a lot but it could save small businesses up to £600.”

He added: “The Government and the Opposition have rightly understood that the UK economy will decline faster if a lot of small businesses go under.”