Dave Fishwick shines spotlight on 'ordinary northern folk' for BBC Breakfast ahead of Budget

Nelson-born Dave, who made his fortune in the minibus business in Colne after starting life as a labourer, was speaking on BBC Breakfast while filming for the national show in Sabden and Burnley.

Dave introduced the nation to his “youngest ever customer” – 17-year-old Harry Dobson-Moore who has opened his own burger van business Sabden Smash, thanks to his grandad and Dave who explained how young people like him need help in the Budget.

“Harry is 18 in a few days and will only then be legally able to get help from my bank. His grandad helped him out to get his business off the ground and when Harry is 18 I will be loaning him money to buy new equipment.

“I’ve also mentored Harry and I have really high hopes that he will make a success of himself. On the breakfast programme he told me about the pressures food businesses like his are facing with the current cost of living and rising prices.

“He explained how the cost of cooking oil has gone up 40% in recent months. I also spoke to his mother Christine, who runs Sanwitches Cafe in Sabden, and how she feels in politicians in London don’t seem to understand the pressures of ordinary people.”

Dave, who was catapulted to global fame with the hit Netflix biopic of his life Bank of Dave, says his new profile has helped him shine a light on ordinary people through his increasing appearances on television.

“The BBC wanted me to do a special segment on the Budget and give a northern voice. When Labour was elected I was excited that they were going to support working-class people, but I want to see that now in the Budget.

“I understand that not every pensioner needed the Winter Fuel Allowance, for instance, but I feel it could have been means-tested to make it fairer. Speaking to people in Burnley I felt there was some real concerns.

“There is talk that the government will be removing the £2 bus fare cap and increasing it to £3. That’s a 50% increase on people who use the bus to get to work. This is persecuting people trying to get to work.”

Dave also said the government needed a “net” to help those at the bottom of society but also to capture the mega corporations at the top not paying their fair share in taxes.

He added: “There needs to be a net for people to fall on and allows them to bounce back up and contribute to society. But also that net needs to be big enough to catch those big companies at the top, the likes of Amazon, Costa and Apple that could do more to contribute to society.

“The poor always end up paying more, when the big boys should be paying their fair share.”