'Where's MY breathing space?' Northern pie seller who backed Burnham gives brutal verdict on Budget - as he misses out on business rates help and is battered by Labour's tax on jobs

A northern pie seller who backed Andy Burnham delivered an excoriating verdict on the Budget today.Paul Bowen, a former Apprentice star who runs shops in Chorley, Lancashire, demanded to know: 'Where's my breathing space?'During an appearance on ITV's Good Morning Britain, Mr Bowen said he had been hopeful when Mr Burnham took over from Keir Starmer because he is 'northern' and 'gets it'.But he said he would not get business rates reliefs trumpeted by John Healey yesterday because he operates two shops.And he warned the latest inflation-busting hike to the minimum wage would heap more costs on his bottom line, adding to the pain from soaring energy bills. Mr Bowen has previously spoken about how he was forced to close one shop because of Labour's huge increases to employer national insurance contributions.That intervention on social media last month drew a direct response from Mr Burnham, who said: 'I am listening and I'm sorry it has got to the point that you need to close your doors.' Paul Bowen, a former Apprentice star who runs shops in Chorley, Lancashire, demanded to know: 'Where's my breathing space?' The northern pie seller previously backed Andy Burnham (pictured on a visit with John healey today) Mr Bowen has spoken before about how the national insurance costs forced him to close one pie shop The Budget yesterday announced £100 of energy bills support for 20million households in council tax bands A to D - but businesses will not get the cash.Mr Healey also announced an increase in gambling taxes to pay for business rates relief for high street firms.He said it would mean that 70,000 businesses would be taken out of paying rates altogether 'meaning half of our shops, restaurants and gyms will now pay no business rates at all'.The Chancellor imposed a temporary tax rise on banks, which some have warned will lead to higher borrowing costs.The Institute for Fiscal Studies think-tank criticised the Budget for having 'a raft of fiddly measures but very little that will move the dial on growth'. At the same time critics have condemned the Government for failing to make any effort to crack down on the burgeoning welfare bill. On GMB this morning Mr Bowen said: 'I was really positive. Andy's a northerner, and I thought - he gets it. He gets it, he's listening.'And in the headlines John Healey - ''we're going to give families and business owners breathing space''. I read it. 'I don't qualify for the business rates, I don't qualify for that because I'm multi-site. I've got two shops. So I don't qualify for that.'The minimum wage has increased, which we all, every business owner... I'm not saying that we shouldn't pay staff.'What I'm saying is we can't afford to pay them.'Mr Bowen said he was going to have a £700 a week increase, and expected to have extra costs from his suppliers passed on.'My supplier bill's around £20,000-£30,000 a week,' he said.'That will be 10 per cent. So £2,000 to £3,000 a week. So that's £4,000 a week I've got to find.'That is about 20,000 to 30,000 pies a week.'My week has gone up, I've got no business rates, I've got no relief. The national insurance is crippling me. The energy crisis is crippling me.'I'm going to have to put my prices up, customers are going to get mad. I'm going to get less profit...'Me as a family, as a director, I've got to take a 2 per cent cut. So my family, my one-year-old girl... I'm taking a pay cut. My business is taking a pay cut.'How is that breathing room for me? Where is my breathing space?'In an emotional appeal direct to the camera, he insisted: 'John Healey, if you're listening, where is my breathing space? You promised the UK breathing space. Where is it?'Asked on a visit in the Midlands today about business complaints of a lack of support, the PM said: 'We have done what we can do to support people: 70,000 businesses – smaller businesses on our high streets – have been lifted out of business rates altogether, and that will help high streets across the country. Mr Bowen was a contender on BBC show The Apprentice in 2024 'The British economy is defying the expectations of forecasters, so this year we will grow more strongly. The growth forecast has been upgraded.'The IMF (International Monetary Fund) said last week we're the standout nation for deficit reduction, so it remains difficult because the world is difficult and the situation in the Middle East has an impact.'But I think people should look at what the Chancellor said yesterday, see a country that has got a platform of stability in the economy. We're beginning to defy those expectations, and I'm confident that we will go from strength to strength from here.'