A businessman has been given a key role in an expert business group.

Michael Lassman, director of Equality Edge, who help develop diversity and community services, has been named regional chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses.

Mr Lassman said he wants the voices of small businesses in London to be heard, and will help to bring increased value to business leaders through partnerships with the public sector.

He said: “In London our focus will be on continuing to represent our members’ interests. Business rates will be going up even further this April with changes to transitional rates.

“We need government’s at all levels, local, regional and national to support small firms with urgent reform.”

He added that small businesses need a Brexit deal which supports them, as the majority of small firms have little experience in the points-based immigration system when recruiting non-EU workers.

He added: “London relies on a diverse workforce and we need this to remain in place post-Brexit.”

This comes as the FSB has gone through a restructure of roles to focus on “grassroots activists.”