YORK Outer candidates have pitched for votes from small business owners – and faced a grilling on everything from statutory sick pay and the living wage to pay-on-exit parking.

The FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) organised a General Election hustings on Monday night for the the five main parties’ candidates – Conservative Julian Sturdy, Ukip’s Paul Abbott, Green Ginnie Shaw, Labour’s Joe Riches and Liberal Democrat James Blanchard.

All candidates spoke of the importance of small businesses to the economy and told of their sympathy for the problems they faced, with several telling of their own experiences as business owners.

Mr Abbott spoke of his frustrations as a York sub-postmaster, for example in trying to fill in tax returns on a Sunday, when the relevant agencies were closed and could not be contacted.

Mr Blanchard spoke of his pride that the LibDems had ensured vital economic stability over the past five years through its involvement in the coalition government.

Cllr Riches said Labour would seek to assist small businesses through a reduction in business rates rather than cutting corporation tax, which would benefit larger businesses.

Ms Shaw said that having run a social enterprise for ten years, she had an insight into the difficulties faced by small and medium businesses, and spoke of the importance of providing ultra-fast broadband in rural areas.

Mr Sturdy spoke of how Britain had the fastest growing economy in the developed world, with unemployment falling instead of rising. He said Yorkshire alone had created more jobs than France.

Business owners also spoke of their concerns about the impact on them if there was a large statutory hike in the minimum wage or introduction of a compulsory Living Wage, which they feared would cripple many small businesses.