The Lib Dems: In search of new voters (part 2)
A couple of weeks ago I suggested here on this blog that the Lib Dems were the natural party of small business (The Lib Dems: In search of new voters…) and that with about 23million people working in small and medium sized businesses, they were a pretty attractive voting sector to pursue.
A study out today provides us with another damn good reason why the Lib Dems really should think about its relationship with small businesses – they disproportionately employ vulnerable people – making them both economically and socially important.
The IEA report Self-employment, Small Firms and Enterprise, by Peter Urwin, says that
That’s pretty compelling stuff .
So what to do ?
Well , consider the IEA’s conclusions….
My advice to the policy makers within the Liberal Democrats is not only take note of the importance of small business. But to to embrace the IEA’s recommendations to help support this important sector.
I won’t go into all the IEA’s recommendations here (go read for yourself) but essentially it argues for government to lift the regulatory burden on businesses that is currently preventing many self-employed people from developing their businesses and employing people.
All of this would not only demonstrate the Liberal Democrat’s commitment to” the small and the local” (see previous post) – but is also a real strategy for growth and employment.
Sounds like a win-win to me.
October 14th, 2011 at 8:46 pm
I really think that you are on to something here. I have not read the report mentioned but intend to do so. As a small business owner myself I have thought for sometime that small business has been largely ignored by the main parties. Small businesses are the real place were growth will come from. I run a small business of 5 people and would like to expand and recruit two new staff but I am really hesitant because I just cant keep up with employment law anymore (all 4 staff I have right now are family members)and the costs are simply prohibitive and more importantly so unpredictable. Who knows what I might be committing to once I have gone down the route of putting new staff on my books.