Economy needs stabilising to promote growth, says FSB

The government is being urged to create a stable economy where small businesses can be confident enough to invest and create jobs, according to the national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), John Walker.

Recent surveys by the small business organisation have indicated that as many as 40% of small firms have strong growth plans for the next year, despite business confidence remaining low.

Mr Walker commented in a column written for the BBC, “Our members tell us their businesses are affected by the same types of problems - too much regulation, limited access to finance which restricts how and when they can grow, and increasing overheads which put a strain on cash flow.”

He also championed the case of micro and small businesses and believes they remain crucial to long-term economic recovery, saying “The FSB has long campaigned for policymakers to examine whether micro firms need to comply with a proposed law, or whether lighter regimes and exemptions are possible.