The final countdown

With the general election looming into view - the latest date that the election can be called being June the 3rd - businesses across the country are starting to think what a new government, or a re-elected labour party would mean for their firm.

Businesses have been subjected to courting by political parties for months now, but as the date gets closer they can expect this charm offensive to be ramped into overdrive.

The shadow business secretary, Ken Clarke, said in a recent interview that small and medium-sized firms are the "bedrock of the economy."

In the same interview the former Chancellor of the Exchequer also commented that, "We have to create an economic climate in which British business can flourish. One of my high priorities is to create the right environment for SME businesses to thrive."

While small firms will do doubt welcome this sentiment, they also know that talk is cheap. Small businesses owners need to know what a Conservative government will do for them. They have already come out and attacked Business link and said they will disband the service, but what will they offer?

Talk from Clarke and Cameron on improving access to finance for SMEs is all well and good, but how are they going to do this? What practical steps will they implement?

And, rather like a certain Mr Obama - albeit to a lesser extent of course: we are British - if David Cameron does become Prime Minister then his hands will be tied by the state of the economy.

Business groups such as the British Chambers of Commerce and the Confederation of British Industry have called on whoever is in power to cut the country's deficit quickly. The CBI want public finances to be balanced by 2016 to avoid the risk of the UK's credit rating being downgraded.

Mr Cameron has done well to present himself - and his party - as a viable alternative to Labour. Now he must explicitly outline how he plans to address the UK's massive deficit and the measures he will take to help the millions of small and medium-sized firms. With the country starting to show tentative signs of recovery, the battle for the vote of businesses looks closer than ever before.



Post Date: March 8th, 2010