Richard recently visited Carlton Packaging, Europe's leading designer and supplier of smart packaging materials and processes, on the Link Logistics Park near Kempston and discussed some of the pressures facing SMEs.
Richard Fuller MP said:
Amongst the businesses attracted to the warehouses and office spaces built along the A421 and the Bedford Bypass is family-owned, Carlton Packaging.
I met owner, Alan Magee, and his father to discuss the impact of the new Employment Rights Act -- changes to employment law which are being brought in between April 2026 and January 2027. In my view this Act is another sop to the interests of Trade Union bosses and will do little for the interests of working people.
Mr Magee explained to me the challenges for small and medium businesses in additional paperwork, greater HR costs and the intrusiveness permitted for trade unions under this Act.
The Act is set to cost businesses up to £5 billion, increase unemployment, reduce economic growth and see more industrial action. My Conservative colleague, Andrew Griffiths has rightly committed us to repealing the damaging provisions of the Act and this visit reaffirmed my view that this is the right think to do.
The tour of Carlton Packaging showed me what creativity is required to design attractive, functional and sustainable packaging and I saw a range of examples of their excellent work.
