Firms' tax plea to councils amid fears over economy

摘要

Business chiefs have pleaded with councils not to turn the financial screws, as the economy shows signs of slowing down. Retailers such as Marks & Spencer have reported that conditions on the high street are getting tougher, and are bracing themselves for hard times ahead. The British Retail Consortium said monthly sales figures for December 2007 were the worst since March 2006, and an economic slowdown was being widely predicted for the coming 12 months.