By Marcus Leach
Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking at the Conservative Party’s spring conference in Cardiff, has vowed to tackle those bureaucrats in government departments who are making “life impossible for small firms.”
With the budget looming large on the horizon, followed by the Assembly elections in early May, Mr Cameron took the chance to get behind the roofers, retailers and small businesses of Britain to get the country moving again. It is the success of these sectors that he sees as the countries only hope of a return to growth, which will explain his quest to make life easier for them.
Mr Cameron stressed that the government would be looking to tackle the bureaucrats in government departments who are hindering the development of small business throughout the country. In a rousing speech, that brought back memories of Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, Mr Cameron promised to take on the enemies of enterprise.
“I can announce that we are taking on the enemies of enterprise,” said Mr Cameron.
“The bureaucrats in government departments who concoct those ridiculous rules and regulations that make life impossible for small firms.
“The town hall officials who take forever to make those planning decisions that can be make or break for a business - and the investment and jobs that go with it.
“The public sector managers who think that the answer to everything is a big contract with a big business and who shut out millions of Britain’s small and medium sized companies from a massive potential market.”
As interest rates remain at a record low, and with the government funds equally low, Cameron has aligned himself with the “go-getters” of the country.
“There’s only one strategy for growth we can have now and that is rolling up our sleeves and doing everything possible to make it easier for businesses to grow, to invest, to take on people.
“Back small firms. Boost enterprise. Be on the side of everyone in this country who wants to create jobs, and wealth and opportunity.”
The challenge now is for Mr Cameron to follow through on these promises, and not leave them as empty words, a point highlighted by director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, David Frost.
“It is good to have the Prime Minister talking about the vital role that enterprise plays, but it has to be backed up by some really hard action,” Frost said.
