article_snippet: Swindon Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls said Swindon Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls would use the first budget of a Labour government to cut business rates for 1.5 million small companies - worth an average of £400 to each firm – and then freeze 1.5 million small companies - worth an average of £400 to each firm – the following year.
article_snippet: Speaking in Swindon on the first full day of the election campaign this morning, Swindon Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls said 17 small firms would benefit from the cut for every one large business helped by the Coalition's reduction in corporation tax.
article_snippet: Swindon Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls said: 'It's not right to go ahead with the further cut for larger companies when we can use the money in a better way to help us create more good jobs by backing small companies.'
article_snippet: Swindon Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls said Swindon Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls would use the first budget of a Labour government to cut business rates for 1.5 million small companies - worth an average of £400 to each firm – and then freeze 1.5 million small companies - worth an average of £400 to each firm – the following year .
article_snippet: Swindon Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls said the Coalition spent £7 billion over the last five years cutting the main rate of corporation tax to the benefit of larger firms while revenues from business rates rose by £3 billion, at an average cost to firms of £1,500-a-year.
article_snippet: Swindon Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls added: 'Unleashing the potential of smaller businesses to grow, create more good jobs and raise living standards is a vital part of Labour's better plan. '
article_snippet: This is part of our plan to deliver a simpler and fairer tax system for small businesses.
article_snippet: And This will mean that the tax burden on small businesses will be lower with Labour than under the Tories.'
article_snippet: The Conservative Party is helping businesses small and large as part of our long-term economic plan - we don't divide businesses small and large up for the sake of making a political point.'
highlights_snippet: Ed Balls unveiled proposal to cut business rates for millions of small firms .
  