U-turn stops Conservative plans which would have hit 8,600 self-employed in Hinckley and Bosworth

Local Liberal Democrats have welcomed news that the Conservative government has U-turned over its plans to raise taxes on the self-employed, as figures reveal Bosworth constituency would have been among the hardest hit areas in the East Midlands region.

The Conservatives plans would have broke a Conservative manifesto pledge by proposing to increase National Insurance contributions for the self-employed, hitting them with an average cost of £240 a year.

Official figures show there are 8,600 self-employed workers in Bosworth, making up 14%, one in seven, of the total workforce. This is the fourth highest rate of self-employed people in the entire East Midlands region.

Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Bosworth Councillor Michael Mullaney said "Thank goodness the Tory government has given in to pressure from Tim Farron, the Lib Dems and others on this issue. This government u-turn will come as a relief to the thousands of self-employed people in Hinckley and Bosworth already facing a Brexit squeeze to living standards."