Our Economic Success
Sutton's future relies on strong economic growth
We're living in incredibly uncertain economic times. Businesses - big and small - are struggling with red tape. Productivity is down, and youth unemployment in London is up. It feels like we're unable to build big national projects anymore.
To make matters worse, the Government seem not just unable to fix the situation - but are making decisions that are actively making it worse, like hiking NICs contributions, and refusing to negotiate a new customs union with the EU.
But in Sutton, there are green shoots. The ingenuity of local people and smart choices by the Lib Dem Council mean that there's good reason to be optimistic about our economic future. In fact, we're modelling the kind of growth that might just save Britain - community-driven, joined-up economic success.
My role as our MP is to promote Sutton's major successes - and to fight for the big national changes we need to make them happen.
The Chancellor has missed several chances to deliver the change needed in Sutton and Cheam by scrapping the jobs tax and reforming business rates.
In early 2025 I ran a local business survey and businesses consistently told me about the challenges they are facing. It's clear that the Government's N.I. tax hike will hit our high streets, and small businesses, hard.
Myself and my Lib Dem colleagues instead urged the Labour Government to raise money not from local high streets but by asking the big banks, social media giants and online gambling companies to pay their fair share.
The Chancellor has not listened - even though people are struggling with eye-watering bills, businesses are buckling under pressure and our public services are crumbling.
The Liberal Democrats will campaign for the Government to urgently change course and look to boost growth in much fairer and effective ways, raising money from the banking, tech and gambling giants, not the businesses in our high streets that we so badly need to help boost local growth.
Lib Dem run Sutton Council has published a new plan for economic growth which will create jobs and opportunity for residents. You can read it in full below.
We’ll be creating 3,000 direct jobs for Sutton residents at the London Cancer Hub (LCH) in Belmont, which will expand with millions of pounds of new investment from Aviva Capital and Socius.
Our high street in Sutton Town Centre is performing incredibly well in difficult economic times - with over 90% of shops occupied, new stores like Lidl on the way, and Morrisons giving Sutton a huge vote of confidence by committing to rebuild and reopen their store.
But it’s not just about the town centre - we are also encouraging investment into our seven district centres like Wallington, Carshalton, and Cheam, as well as industrial areas such as Beddington and the Kimpton Industrial Estate, which are attracting investment with expanded developments like Prologis Park.
What’s more - private investments, such as Chalk Gardens (the former B&Q site) and the proposed revitalisation of St Nicholas House and Quadrant House, will also contribute to growth.
It's never been clearer that the botched Brexit deal has left our businesses stuck with red tape, and has tied our hands behind our back as we try to bolster economic growth.
The Liberal Democrats and I are clear that the only way forward is to fix our broken economic relationship with the EU with a new customs union.
In December I voted in favour of the Liberal Democrat EU Customs Union Bill brought forward by Al Pinkerton MP. Fixing our broken relationship with Europe is the single biggest thing the Government could do to turbocharge economic growth and repair the £90 billion Brexit black hole.
I am proud that the Liberal Democrats continue to call for the UK to create a new Customs Union with the EU, and was pleased to cast my vote in support of my colleague Al Pinkerton’s Customs Union bill. It has passed the first hurdle and will now proceed to the next stage in the Commons.
