A new taskforce has been set up to act as the lobbying voice for small to medium sized businesses in the UK. By bringing together some of the key SME membership organisations into one lobbying group, it is thought that the Small Business Taskforce, which is the brainchild of Emma Jones of Enterprise Nation, will become the voice of small businesses.
Uniting Membership Organisations
Key SME bodies have been attracted to the new taskforce. These include the Forum of Private Business (FPB), the National Enterprise Network (NEN), the accountancy body ICAEW, the association for freelancers IPSE, and the Centre for Entrepreneurs (CFE).
By joining forces, these membership organisations reach nearly two million small businesses within the UK, which makes up almost half of the total SME population.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) are not yet official members, but they will work alongside the taskforce on an issue-by-issue basis.
Making the Voice of Small Businesses Heard
The aim of the new taskforce is to champion the needs of small businesses by lobbying the government in an attempt to reach out to ministers. This will mean that the government can consult small and medium sized firms before introducing new regulations, such as the likes of quarterly tax reporting, which is something that has been concerning SMEs of late.
Five Key Points from the Small Business Taskforce
An open letter to all ministers, including the Prime Minister Theresa May, has been written by the Small Business Taskforce. They have called for five key recommendations for the Government, which are:
- A workable tax regime which is created in consultation with SMEs
- Accessible business support
- International trade for all
- Support for a flexible workforce, which includes ensuring that EU works resident in the UK have long-term residential rights
- Continued consultation with small to medium sized businesses
By working together with small businesses, the idea of the taskforce is that it will promote a prospering economy for our country whilst still listening to the needs of SMEs.
