The vast majority of UK small businesses believe that Brown and Darling are bad news for enterprise, it has been claimed.
Just four months into his premiership Gordon Brown has been dealt a blow by British business, with 71% of owner managers of small and medium-sized companies giving him the thumbs down.
The report, by research consultancy Freshminds, also found that 35% of owners and senior managers believe, in the current business environment, it’s better to be an employee than an employer.
Over 50% of respondents were concerned the recent Capital Gains Tax (CGT) changes will have a negative effect on enterprise, and nearly 70% fear Brown and Darling’s influence on the UK in general.
Caroline Plumb, chief executive officer of FreshMinds, commented:
“Today’s findings reflect a worrying trend within the [small business] community and indicate that significant changes are required if Brown and his government are to regain the confidence of the UK’s entrepreneurs.
“Making unpopular decisions (as typified in the recent CGT announcement) are part and parcel of government but specific policies aside, the government urgently needs to make more of an effort to create an environment which engenders more confidence within the UK’s [small firms].”
Plumb said Brown should be ‘seriously concerned’ about the findings given that small and medium-sized businesses make up 50% of the UK’s private sector turnover.
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2007
