Your say / Politics
Election 2015: Bristol’s mid-sized businesses
Tim Lincoln, head of practice at Grant Thornton, shares his views on the upcoming election and what it will mean for businesses in Bristol and the South West.
With the most unpredictable election outcome in years and the enormous shift in the political and economic environment that has taken place since the last, this election will frame the business and regulatory environment in the UK for the next five years.
Our ongoing conversations with Bristol’s mid-sized-businesses (MSBs) and government have established a live agenda of what needs to be done to enable a sustainable business environment.
is needed now More than ever
We believe that the UK’s ‘forgotten middle’ MSB population holds the key to unlocking significant growth across the UK economy.
It is vital that our politicians understand the challenges faced by those that are the creators of jobs and wealth for Bristol. All the evidence points to mid-sized businesses being the engine room for growth – and the prize, if we get it right, is big – for jobs, getting the UK’s books balanced and the future sustainability of the city in the global economy.
Without a vibrant business sector which encourages start-ups, nurtures business growth and allows corporates to prosper, we will not have the levels of tax revenue necessary to provide the essential public services we have grown to expect and indeed require.
All political parties are guilty of throwing pledges around as the election draws near. Talk is cheap – actually paying for things isn’t. I call on Bristol’s business leaders, especially those in the professional services community, to act on behalf of and represent the interests of business as we head through this election campaign.
We need to ensure that the needs of business are not lost within the cacophony of a campaign that will become tribal; that we work together to try to ensure that it is not dominated by political class shouting at political class.
Instead, we need to ensure that it is focused on the needs of business and in so doing is relevant to all of Britain’s needs, both social and economic, meaning we can together work towards achieving our aspirational society.
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