Small business owners feel failed by mainstream parties

NEARLY a third of Yorkshire SMEs believe that none of the mainstream political parties represent their interests in Westminster.

Research carried out by business price comparison service Make It Cheaper also shows that Gordon Brown has the support of less than a fifth of small firms.

The survey found that 43% described their outlook for the forthcoming financial year as ‘depressing’ with no sign of their business picking up.

Around three in five (58%) of small business owners would make it their first priority to institute better tax breaks for SMEs they were prime minister.

Nearly a quarter said they would lower the cost of employing people while 28% said they would pass a law to shorten payment terms.

Jonathan Elliott, managing director of Make It Cheaper, said: “UK Small business owners are extremely disillusioned with this or any future government.

“Rhetoric from all political parties is failing to hide the lack of sufficient help available to these businesses, the life blood of the British economy, to reduce their cost base.”

He said that he was challenging the Government to use today’s budget to show it was thinking about small businesses.

“With three out of five saying they would implement better tax breaks if they were Prime Minister, it is clear where small businesses feel the Government’s focus should be,” he added.

“This issue could be the difference between winning and losing the general election.”