Suffolk South candidate on the campaign trail

LIBERAL Democrats in Suffolk South are calling for more help for small businesses.

During a campaign visit to Little Cornard, their candidate Nigel Bennett said the UK economy needs better vocational skills as well as academic skills.

“The Government must encourage a wide range of skills in young people, giving vocational skills the same importance as academic skills. It must also help small businesses to take on apprentices and provide the work based learning needed for many young people,” said Mr Bennett.

“This can be done by adequate funding and reducing red tape.”

He was visiting Martyn Booth Guitars and JBM, a medical marketing consultancy, and was accompanied by a crew from national television which is filming a profile of the constituency.

“Vocational training needs to be put on the same footing as academic training. The UK needs more research based skills but it needs highly skilled trades too. The opportunity of more vocational training would give young people real choices and the opportunity to pursue options they enjoy and value.”

The scrapping of the arbitrary target of 50 per cent of young people attending University, focusing effort instead on a balance of university/college education, vocational training and apprenticeships.

As part of the Lib Dems’ manifesto pledges was a job creation package, funding 15,000 new places on Foundation Degree courses and fully fund the off-the-job costs of adult apprenticeships, which currently have to be met by employers, for one year.