There is a real meeting of minds because Labour
is beginning really to get and understand the small business economy and its 88
page report - for the Policy Review - included over 100 recommendations is
proof of that. But it is not the only evidence, the other interesting thing is
that business realises that Labour understands what it is about because
Labour’s comments about wealth and enterprise are not simply old-rhetoric but
are based on real understanding. For instance Chuka has recently said that he
has banned his team from using the phrase ‘SME’, because he considers it to be
too broad a definition of small firms, encompassing as it does the self
employed right up to the 250 person enterprise. Labour it seems is not
proposing a one size fits all model for business but a truly tailored approach.
To appreciate why this is you simply need to look at Labour’s business team. It
is headed by Chukka Umunna whose father came to this country and established
his own small firm. From what Chuka says and does it is clear that this isn’t
simply another brief but it is in his blood. Alongside him is Toby Perkins the
MP for Chesterfield. Toby ran his own small business before entering Parliament
so when he goes around talking to small firms around the country he understands
what it is like to raise finance and to employ people and the burden of
regulation. In the Lords they have Parry Mitchell who as a serial entrepreneur
founded three companies all of which grew to be market leaders. Backing them
there seems to be a brilliant team of advisors and as the cold evening in Brixton showed party members and other are
confident to show their colours as small business people for and in the Labour
Party. As for the Task Force report it was originally headed by the brilliant Nigel
Dougherty who spearheaded process forward but suffered a sad and untimely death
last year. It was picked up by Bill Thomas formerly of HP who has expertly brought
together business representatives, academics and entrepreneur and put together
the report.
Another pointer to this great understanding is that the
report wasn’t launched at some fancy offices in Canary Wharf or at some bank,
but in Brixton Market. Labour realises that the beating heart of enterprise in
our country isn’t in board rooms of venture capitalists but with the
self-employed; the white van man, the freelancer; the market firm and the small
enterprise. While many in the Labour Party still cling to the belief that the
next election is going to fought on a platform on health and education the
truth is different. The battle field is going to be growth and prosperity and
is going to be fought around how that can be delivered. Labour is positioning
itself clearly to say that it will be delivered through small business and that
their values are one and same as ours. Previously Labour governments worked
hard to help small business but there was always a feeling that they were at
arms lengths from small business. But from what I saw and heard on Monday and
saw in the report, Labour had moved from nodding terms with small business to a
proper handshake and hopefully onwards to a full embrace. The idea that Labour
should be the party of and for small business, isn’t rhetoric and it has moved
beyond simply aspiration and is on course to become a tangible reality.
Philip Ross is a
member of LFIG and the founder of the Labour Small Business Forum which wants
to build a network of Labour members in small business and identify those in
every constituency. To get involved contact Philip at rosspe@talk21.com #philiprosslgc
A second article on
the Task Force Report will be published later this week
