The usual stock statements were put out by major contractors and trade bodies this week following a raft of tax hikes.

But many subcontractors and suppliers have been left quietly fuming by the government’s actions – particularly the rise in employers’ National Insurance rates.

One director said: “The budget is set to increase our costs alone by around half a million pounds so that money has to be found somewhere.

“The reality is that to protect the business those savings will be found in terms of fewer hours for staff and possibly fewer jobs which makes a nonsense of Labour’s claims not to be hitting working people.

“Because hardly any politicians or civil servants have ever run a business they have no idea how they work.

“As an owner your first responsibility is to the business so if someone puts your costs up you have to act accordingly.”

Another subbie added: “Of course we have to cut costs when this happens because in the current climate we can’t put up our prices.

“I’m just stunned about how clueless politicians are about the real world of business and the impact these decisions have on the very people they think they are protecting.”