BUSINESS taxes must be reformed to stop global giants negotiating sweetheart deals while small firms are left struggling, Tim Farron MP has said.

The Westmorland and Lonsdale MP and leader of the Liberal Democrats accused the government of "fawning" over big business as independent companies are being hit with rates they can barely afford.

He is bringing in former business secretary Vince Cable to lead an expert panel looking at ways to "radically reform" business taxation.

At the party's spring conference in York, Mr Farron said: "Communities thrive when enterprise and small business can thrive. But far too often the cards are stacked against them. 

"We currently have a broken tax system that allows Google and Facebook to negotiate for months, yet small businesses can't even get through on the phone.

"It's time we transformed the way we treat small business in this country.

"Instead of government fawning over the conglomerates, and getting to small business later, how about putting small business at the centre of our business economy."

Mr Farron also claimed the UK is at an economic crossroads and accuse Chancellor George Osborne of planning "unnecessary" cuts in the Budget next week.

"We have already heard that more cuts are coming our way," he said.

"George Osborne's approach to a budget is political theatre. It's about politics, headlines and calculated positioning.

"Not a long term economic plan, but a short term political scam.

"So, the UK now stands at a crossroads. Osborne is taking an unnecessary political choice to cut further.

"If the Chancellor really wanted to help the economy, he would invest in, and help our local communities."