The region's new MPs have had their say on what they will do for businesses in their constituencies after a General Election that transformed the political landscape of Norfolk and Waveney.
After a national Labour landslide, Keir Starmer's new government has pledged not to increase National Insurance, income tax or VAT, build millions of new homes and create thousands of jobs through an overhaul of the energy sector.
Labour ended up with four MPs in Norfolk, with the Tories with three and one each for the Liberal Democrats, Greens and Reform. Labour also took Lowestoft.
Norwich North
Labour’s Alice Macdonald is the new MP for Norwich North after taking the seat held by the Conservatives since 2009.
“Partnership is really key to the approach, working with businesses in Norwich North to get the best for them and our region,” she said.
“Labour has set out some of the policies we will implement which will benefit businesses, like reforming business rates, legalisation to tackle late payments and action on the high street.
“We want to replace business rates with a fairer system so there is less of a burden on high street premises, and not stand in the way of firms that want to expand.
“We want to give communities a strong new right to buy community assets, whether that’s empty shops, pubs or community spaces, giving them the ability to come together and revitalise the high street.
“We also want to roll out banking hubs so there is face-to-face banking in every community.”
Norwich South
Labour’s Clive Lewis was re-elected in Norwich South, the seat he has held since 2015.
"From tech through the licensed trades to the self-employed, I've got a decade-long track record of listening to and standing up for our city's small businesses," he said.
"Recently, I've been told about unscrupulous proprietors who serially run up debts, fold and start again. Businesses that play by the rules find it difficult to compete with them.
"I also know there are significant concerns about the effect of VAT and how, as well as being a regressive tax to start with, it hits small businesses by pushing up the price customers have to pay.
"Our small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities and essential to our city's economy. The Federation of Small Businesses has welcomed Labour's dedicated plan for small businesses.
"It will reform business rates, legislate to tackle late payments by big businesses to their smaller suppliers, and remove barriers for small business exporters.
"Labour will guarantee small businesses access to banking services on their high street, including safely depositing cash, by changing regulations to accelerate the rollout of banking hubs.
"We'll replace the business rates system with a new system that will level the playing field between the high street and online giants."
Broadland and Fakenham
Conservative Jerome Mayhew was re-elected in Broadland and Fakenham, having held the seat since 2019.
He said work must continue to dual the A47 and funding needs to be maintained for the Western Link road.
“Anyone who pretends that is not important for businesses in Norfolk does not understand the way that business works,” he said.
“We need a good physical communication with the rest of the country, particularly the arterial routes. Businesses need access to their markets.
“We need the Western Link road not just for the residents of Weston Longville, Ringland, Costessey and other villages to relieve rat running, but for access to businesses.
"We need to extend mobile phone coverage to areas that are not-spots. The way not-spots are assessed is based on where people live, it doesn’t take into account arterial routes – that’s why you have a not-spot on the A11 on the approach to Norwich.
“Few people live there but it is crucial for business use and communication. We need to have reliable mobile phone coverage as we move around Norfolk doing business.
“The government have won the election on the basis that they are not going to raise taxes – if they do they will have taken the electorate for fools and they will damage business. We need to reduce tax over time for working people so it rewards work.”
North Norfolk
Liberal Democrat Steffan Aquarone is the new MP for North Norfolk after beating his Conservative rival Duncan Baker.
"Businesses like actions not flaky schemes," he said.
"I’ve been in business for 25 years and the most useful support I’ve had from anyone in the state has been specific, targeted, practical support.
"In North Norfolk it means tackling the core essential parts of our business ecosystem, which are farming and high streets.
"I want to see us secure funding to revamp the high streets in all of our market towns - investment to improve parking, join up the offering and make it an easy destination to go to. Banking hubs are a part of that to draw people into the towns.
"I want to champion high-tech agriculture and farming innovation - these are the big employers and the technology innovators of the future, and I really want them to be able to thrive in North Norfolk."
South Norfolk
Ben Goldsborough was a late Labour selection but won in South Norfolk.
He said: "My goal is to tackle ghost high streets and ensure that every community has access to face-to-face banking services. Our towns should be bustling hubs of services and leisure.
“But it’s more than just our high streets - we must support the growth of high-tech jobs in South Norfolk.
"When I speak to our talented founders and business owners many tell me they feel overlooked by the last Conservative government and, after 14 years of economic failure, it is getting harder and harder to run a successful business.
"That's why I’m backing the Labour blueprint to create the long-term environment businesses across Norfolk are crying out for.”
Mid Norfolk
Conservative George Freeman was re-elected in Mid Norfolk, becoming Norfolk's longest-serving MP, holding the seat since 2010.
“Business confidence and investment in the East and in Norfolk is the key to raising prosperity and opportunity," he said.
Mr Freeman called for a new 'East Anglian Mayor' to drive infrastructure investment and upgrade the region's road, rail, digital, digital, water and energy connectivity.
He also said he wants to see private and public partnerships for the regeneration of town centres and coastal areas, as well as lower VAT on pubs, the self employed and small businesses.
South West Norfolk
Labour's Terry Jermy unseated former prime minister Liz Truss to become the new MP for South West Norfolk.
He said: "I speak to so many employers who struggle to recruit, and they are having to pay significant sums to recruit the right people.
"Local businesses are telling me they are increasingly having to go abroad to find people with the right skills.
"I talked to lots of businesses who are concerned about business rates, so I’m very pleased that the Labour Party is talking about a reform of business rates."
North West Norfolk
Conservative James Wild was re-elected in North West Norfolk, and said he is "committed to continuing to help local firms to invest, grow and export, and bring more jobs and investment to our area."
"Key to that is improving infrastructure and connectivity such as A47 dualling, Ely Junction upgrade, rolling out gigabit broadband, and delivering £70 million of investment into Lynn to improve skills and opportunity," he said.
"By leading the Norfolk for Jobs campaign, I will work with employers and other organisations to help more local people into work.
"The Labour government is committed to a huge range of measures that will increase bureaucracy and costs on employers, which I will vigorously oppose.”
Great Yarmouth
Reform's Rupert Lowe is Great Yarmouth's new MP, replacing Conservative Sir Brandon Lewis, who stood down after 14 years.
"We want to release the people of Great Yarmouth from the manacles of the state, allowing them to pursue their own lives and create their own wealth, and keep more of it than they currently are because they are funding this ravenous state," he said.
"I don't think there is a silver bullet that we can say is going to save Great Yarmouth's businesses, but what we need to do is start the process of change.
"We've got to try and make common sense prevail, get government out of people's lives and let them build businesses, and ultimately stop the mistreatment of rural constituencies like Great Yarmouth."
Waveney Valley
Adrian Ramsay, former Norwich city councillor and co-leader of the Green Party nationally, is MP for the new Waveney Valley constituency.
"I’m proud of Waveney Valley as a constituency with lots of market towns, independent businesses and ingenuity," he said.
"I’m keen to talk to key businesses in our market towns about what needs to be done to support the high streets.
"At Westminster I’ll be pursuing regional neutral banks to make it easier for small businesses to get access to lending at reasonable costs for their businesses.
"The Green Party also wants VAT relief for hospitality and the arts, businesses which need support and have had a difficult few years.
"We’ve seen so many local services undermined: the closure of local bank branches, lack of NHS dentists, lack of affordable housing and transport links being cut off – all of these these have a direct impact on businesses."
Lowestoft
Labour's Jessica Asato is the new MP for Lowestoft, beating Conservative Peter Aldous, who had previously held the seat since 2010.
"Our local businesses are so important in terms of wealth generation, which is the number one mission of the Labour government," she said.
"They have to be in partnership to achieve the growth we want to see. My belief is that we need to work together with local businesses to start to shape how we put Lowestoft on the map.
"One thing that has really struck me when I speak to local businesses is they don’t feel like there is a sense of leadership or direction that they can readily understand or get behind.
"I’m excited to be able to work with them to make sure we have a vision for Lowestoft, whether that is attracting new business and investment, demonstrating our status as a tourist destination and getting the message out there about visiting Lowestoft.
"But mostly I want to listen to local businesses and learn."
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