Falling job vacancies are an inevitable consequence when small businesses are increasingly burdened and penalised rather than supported by the Government. The result is fewer opportunities, lost jobs and, ultimately, businesses being forced to close their doors for good. At a time when youth unemployment is at an alarming high, we should be backing the very businesses that can create jobs, offer young people opportunities and drive economic growth. Small businesses are the backbone and lifeblood of the British economy, yet the Government’s approach risks undermining the very people who keep our local economies going.