Budget 2025: Shropshire business leaders' hopes and predictions ahead of Chancellor's speech
All eyes will descend on Westminster this week as Rachel Reeves stands up in the House of Commons to deliver her autumn Budget.
The Chancellor is grappling with a host of issues including inheritance tax for farmers, other mooted tax changes, skills and apprenticeships and the seemingly never-ending need to build more houses.
Business leaders in Shropshire have been outlining their wishes ahead of Ms Reeves' speech on Wednesday (November 26).
Adrian Musgrave - Manufacturer
Engineering and manufacturing group Bridgnorth Aluminium is calling on the Chancellor to give industry certainty in her speech. The company, which produces flat rolled aluminium coils, also says it wants to see urgent help to mitigate rising energy prices and other immediate support.
Bridgnorth Aluminium, which employs more than 300 people in the county, believes the metals and manufacturing sectors also need to avoid a repeat of the tax rises seen in last year's Autumn Statement.
Management wants aluminium to receive the same standing and political attention as steel.
Commercial director Adrian Musgrave said: "Manufacturers don't want handouts, we just want a level playing field to compete with our international rivals and that means the Government resisting the urge to increase the already difficult tax burdens we face.
"The UK has the highest energy bills in the G7 and, to put this into perspective, each month we pay over £1 million for our electricity and gas. Aluminium must be recognised as a key foundation material for advanced manufacturing.
"Skills is another major issue and we would welcome any changes to courses that accelerate the ability for young people to learn greater technical skills.
"We are passionate about UK manufacturing and are deeply committed to the evolution of our Bridgnorth facility.
"There are investment plans in place but to press the button on these we need the right economic conditions."
Tom Bradshaw - Farming Chief
The president of trade union the National Farmers' Union says the forthcoming family farm tax is not "a fair and balanced approach to reform".
NFU chief Tom Bradshaw said the move did little to target those who were seeking to shelter wealth from inheritance tax but instead put the heaviest burden on working farming families including those in Shropshire.
"Many will not be able to afford the tax at all while others will have to halt investing in their businesses to pay it," he said.
"Multiple solutions have now been provided which would better protect Britain's family farms while generating the required revenue for the Treasury. This issue has not and will not go away.
"The Government still has time to adjust the policy in the upcoming Budget so it is more targeted and prevents working families, and the growth of the farming sector, from becoming collateral damage."
