‘Give business real support ...not fairytale promises’
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POLITICIANS have been making ‘fairytale promises’ while failing to put business on the agenda, according to the boss of Sage, the software firm that counts more than half of all UK firms as customers.
Stephen Kelly is a signatory to a letter to be published tomorrow calling on the next Government, whatever its political persuasion, to prioritise support for the millions of start-ups, scale-ups and entrepreneurs around the UK.
The letter, which follows a series of events organised by Sage and The Entrepreneurs Network, will say: ‘In our view there should have been more short-term actions to boost British businesses in the manifestos.’
It will claim: ‘These are the job creators that will continue to fuel the economy, improve productivity, exploit trade opportunities, increase the Government’s future tax take and pay for the vital education and healthcare that our country needs.’
Kelly told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Obviously we, like everybody else in the country, have been listening to all the promises from all of the political parties.
‘We’ve done a number of roundtables with small and medium businesses, and the sentiment is there’s a lot of fairytale promises being made by political parties of all persuasions. But in reality business hasn’t been on the agenda. And you’ve got to ask who is going to pay for all this stuff and it’s going to be business, because companies are the prosperity and wealth creators in the economy.’
He said: ‘Theresa May, when she was in the early days of her Prime Ministership, talked about the buccaneering spirit of Britain and entrepreneurs. We would absolutely ask, number one, that all the promises are translated into policies that support entrepreneurs.
‘The reality is, there is a lack of detail on how any political party will support the small business community. For context, since the financial crisis, more than twothirds of UK jobs have been created by small and medium businesses. So to have them as a vacuum in the debate is surprising.’
The letter will call on the next Prime Minister to reform the visa system to improve access to talent, simplify tax for the smallest businesses and equip them and scaleups with resources so they can embrace export opportunities, among other things. It will claim: ‘These policies are not reliant on the vagaries of Brexit negotiations or major public spending commitments, but will give a clear signal that the UK is the best place to start and grow a business. We call on the next Prime Minister to put them into action.’
It has been signed by more than 50 companies, including women in business network Everywoman, tech start-up community TechHub, innovation foundation Nesta, Martha Lane Fox’s fairer internet organisation Doteveryone, and the YO! Sushi chain.
Kelly’s comments echo urgent pleas from business groups including the Forum of Private Business and IPSE, the association for the self-employed and freelancers.
Last week, IPSE launched a ‘don’t strangle the self-employed’ ad campaign, and its manifesto stressed the contribution that the selfemployed make to the economy, the equivalent of paying for the NHS twice over and accounting for one in seven of everyone in work.
The FPB set out a ten-point wishlist on Thursday, including: a commitment to a better understanding of small firms, their issues, opportunities and threats; clear communication of Brexit negotiations; simplifying tax; reforming business rates; and rewarding successful entrepreneurs.