Partner Article

PM fails to win small business confidence

Small businesses do not feel better off under Gordon Brown’s leadership, according to a new survey.

Research conducted by telecommunications supplier Unicom found that 45% of small enterprises feel worse off under the Prime Minister’s rule. Only 5.2% of companies said that they felt better under Brown.

Chris Earle, operations director of Unicom said: “Thanks to a long period of strong economic growth in the UK, a large proportion of small business owners have never had to face the effects of economic slowdown and their confidence during these uncertain times depends heavily on how they judge the competence of the man in charge of the economy.”

A considerable decline in confidence in the PM can be noted when this survey is compared with a survey conducted when Brown first came to power. The number of small businesses that feel better under his leadership has decreased by 69.8%, falling from 17.2% in June 2007 to 5.2% today.

Similarly, the number of businesses who say they feel worse under Brown’s leadership has increased by 75.9% since 2007.

The survey also indicated that less than a fifth of small businesses owners felt the recent decision to reduce VAT would benefit them.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .