SWINDON Labour leader Jim Grant welcomed the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury's virtual visit to the town ahead of Small Business Saturday, which is today.

Mr Grant said the discussion between the MP and the Tuppenny team had been useful and necessary.

He added: "It’s been really informative for us locally. I think what Ed and Jamie are doing with that community pub is great and I think we need to encourage this type of enterprise within Swindon.

"We launched something called Labour Listens on Friday with an online surgery about the Oasis and we intend to move on to listening to what businesses and residents are telling us.

“I’m not sure people are listening to what small and medium-sized enterprises are telling authorities like councils and central government about what needs doing and what they need to succeed.

“We need to listen more closely to what they want. What Ed has said has certainly informed my view of how we need to react as a local council to what small businesses want.”