It was Napoleon who first branded the British 'a nation of shopkeepers', a theme Adolf Hitler infamously returned to some 150 years later. But whilst such comments may have been meant as an insult, we British take great pride in our small retailers and firms, jealously guarding the variety and diversity they bring to our high streets and neighbourhoods.
I am delighted, therefore, to join the Prime Minister in supporting Small Business Saturday this weekend. The initiative, which was originally founded in the United States, aims to highlight the success of the small business sector and to encourage local residents to ‘shop local’ and so support their local small firms.
Small Business Saturday, which takes place on one of the busiest shopping days of the year, provides a fantastic opportunity for people to support the five million small businesses that exist in the UK. These businesses are the lifeblood of the economy, employing millions of people.
I believe that we all need to ask ourselves whether we can do more ourselves to help support small businesses. There can be no doubt that our town relies on thriving firms of all sizes, big and small; we must remember, however, that a strong and balanced economy relies upon supporting healthy competition and new entrants.
The incredibly important role performed by small firms in our island history is highlighted by that fact that today they account for over 99 percent of the 5 million businesses registered in the UK and employ about sixty percent of the UK’s workforce.
The Conservative party has long recognised the importance of small businesses to the UK economy, and has introduced a number of initiatives designed to support them. The Start-Up Loan and New Enterprise Allowance Scheme has helped boost the number of new business start-ups in our town by over 200 between April and June – a record in our town’s history and a 25 percent increase on the same period last year. In addition, a new discretionary power has been given to local authorities to offer local businesses rate discounts to help attract and support local firms.
This, along with a recent cut in National Insurance and corporation tax levies are important.
Our local stores, bakers, cafes and restaurants as well as small but innovative supply chain companies are valuable community service, and are vitally important to Crawley’s economy. This Saturday is a chance to celebrate the amazing contribution these businesses make to our local community and I would urge everyone to support them to ensure their survival and success.