Frome MP David Warburton has written to Boris Johnson urgently requesting help for those self-employed who have fallen through the cracks of the Government's financial support packages since the coronavirus crisis began.

David appealed directly to the Prime Minister having previously written to the Chancellor on behalf of those excluded from support.

He outlined the plight of those who became self-employed in the year prior to the onset of the pandemic and, due to no more than a quirk of timing, have not been given the support he believes they need and deserve.

In his letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, David wrote: "There have been exclusions that have caused distress and suffering for many: the newly self-employed, freelancers, company directors and entrepreneurs who have taken great risks to start new businesses, thereby creating jobs and opportunities. Those people have worked hard, but when they were most in need of support, they found themselves left behind."

David explained: "I have written several times to the Chancellor in support of those excluded from Government support and have lobbied Treasury Ministers. I now write to you directly, and on behalf of a specific group of those who have been excluded. I feel strongly that they must not be failed by the Government in a way which would represent a failure to adhere to adhere to our Conservative values.

"These are the more than 500,000 newly self-employed people who, through a quirk of timing, found themselves ineligible for the help they needed. With the March budget fast approaching I urge you to correct this wrong and to provide newly self-employed people with the financial support which they have been deprived of until now."

He concluded, "Entrepreneurs will fuel our economic recovery and, like me, I feel sure you will want this Conservative Government to value and support them."