The novelty of Chuka Umunna as a new Lib Dem MP hasn’t quite worn off yet. For the second day running our new Treasury Spokesperon tackled the Government, this time on measures to deal with late business payments, trying to nail their jelly to the wall.
I thank the Minister for advance sight of her statement. She talked about the challenges facing small businesses. Brexit, of course, will cause huge disruption to small businesses’ supply chains given the added bureaucracy and tariffs.
This statement on late payments is welcome, but may I ask the Minister again the specific question put by the Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, the hon. Member for Leeds West (Rachel Reeves)? Why not make the prompt payment code mandatory—compulsory for large businesses? Why is there is further delay with consultations and what have you? She should make it mandatory, as we have been arguing for.
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11 Comments
These updates of Chuka-mania are turning into a series to rival “Rocky”…What next; “Chuka, a day in the life of”?…
@expats. Give us a break, please.
Yes I agree Martin, I am interested in what Chuka is saying and at last we’re hearing more social liberal ideas. These comments are very irritating.
He’s drawn a big crowd, hasn’t he?
Nothing startling, new or original in these ‘social liberal comments’. It should bed part of every Lib Dem’s DNA.
I remember the Liberal group (of which I was the Leader) on South Lakeland District Council pressing for that locally in the mid 1970’s. Pity it wasn’t pressed when the Lib Dems (Vince) were in government between 2010-15.
…….and Martin Land, stop being so touchy. Give us a break.
Typo for bed read be.
We’ve had two of these now; good questions, but what was the Minister’s answer? Trite, inane, and off the subject perhaps, but even then I would like to know what the Government response was, either in the video clip or (better IMO) in the accompanying text.
Martin Land 20th Jun ’19 – 7:48am, marcstevens 20th Jun ’19 – 7:59am…
I’m sorry! Chuka is the most wonderful human being ever, an inspiration to us all, etc….Satisfied?
These questions have been asked before, but answers are needed.
Ask who the bad payers are. “The same names keep coming up”
Smaller businesses become reluctant to bid for work,
I once suggested offering a discount for prompt payment, but my manager said “They will just take the discount and pay as slowly as usual”.
When interest rates were high there was serious money to be made that way, but there was a risk that suppliers of key components might be bankrupted.
I too would like to have seen the answer, even though I’m sure it was a non-answer as we’ve come to expect.
@expats, if you don’t want to have your day interrupted by reading about and watching clips of Chuka asking questions in the Commons, may I suggest you try the tactic of not clicking on links that will clearly lead to articles containing that material.
Fiona 20th Jun ’19 – 6:40pm……………..@expats, if you don’t want to have your day interrupted by reading about and watching clips of Chuka asking questions in the Commons, may I suggest you try the tactic of not clicking on links that will clearly lead to articles containing that material………………..
Fiona, there is a difference between wishing to be ‘informed’ and a piece that gushes “The novelty of Chuka Umunna as a new Lib Dem MP hasn’t quite worn off yet.”
Was there such a dearth of talent in this party, prior to the coming of Chuka, that even his second question is treated like the ‘Sermon on the Mount’?
Chuka Umunna didn’t leave Labour to join the LibDems; he left to form his own party. Only when that failed did he end up here. You might not like it but those are the facts.