PLAID Cymru MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Liz Saville Roberts, has called on the new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, to provide a "furlough level support package".

This, she said, would help small businesses in her constituency through the energy crisis. 

Mrs Saville Roberts reiterated her party’s call to lower the price cap to pre-April levels and to extend it to small businesses and charities, who are currently not protected by any price cap. 

She met with Ashley Hughes, owner of Premier Stores in Nefyn, who said that his monthly electricity bill is expected to increase from £605.70 to £2,877. 

Mr Hughes backed Plaid Cymru’s call, saying that without support from Westminster, "towns like Nefyn will turn into ghost towns where no business will be able to stay open". 

Mrs Saville Roberts said: "Government paralysis over the summer means small businesses in my constituency are preparing for a grim winter.

"Our next Prime Minister has promised very little so far to households or businesses who are facing financial oblivion in a matter of weeks.

"The absence of an energy price cap for businesses means that energy companies are exploiting small firms to breaking point.

"While larger corporations can hedge against rising energy costs, smaller companies will have no option but to close due to unsustainable costs this winter.

"Small businesses such as Premier Stores in Nefyn are the backbone of the Welsh economy.

"Without the same level of support for businesses as was given during the pandemic, our economy will simply collapse.' 

"We need a furlough-level of support, which is why Plaid Cymru is urging the UK Government to return the price cap to pre-April levels and to extend it to small businesses and charities.

"In the longer term, a mixture of grant and loan support is needed for small firms to benefit more from renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures.

"Without such measures, small businesses will continue to be disproportionately impacted by fluctuations in our unsustainable and unfair energy market."

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Ashley Hughes added: "We are expecting our monthly electricity bills to increase from £605.70 to £2,877.

"That is a terrifying prospect that will be completely unaffordable for a small business like ours.

"Many small businesses in rural Wales are already struggling due to high costs.

"Without support from Westminster, small towns like Nefyn will turn into ghost towns where no business will be able to stay open. 

"I strongly urge the new Prime Minister to adopt Plaid Cymru’s calls to lower the price cap and extend it to small businesses.

"Without such action, businesses like ours will struggle to ever recover."