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04/01/2005
Politicians urged by FSB to ‘Think small first’
Northern Ireland's biggest business organisation today sent a New Year message to politicians and prospective parliamentary candidates urging them to "think small first" in the run up to this year’s general election.
The FSB is writing to all its 4,500 members in Northern Ireland as well as those parliamentary hopefuls standing at the starting blocks in the race for Westminster.
Laying down the foundations of the FSB’s election campaign, FSB NI Policy Chairman, Wilfred Mitchell said: “With a general election on the horizon, the political parties will ignore small businesses at their peril.
“About 97% of all UK businesses employ less than 20 people. That’s some four million firms across the whole of the UK. In other words in each constituency about 4,000-6,000 business owners will be eligible to vote at the forth coming election.”
Mr Mitchell said the FSB would be urging all parties to put enterprise at the top of their policy agenda.
“Freedom from red tape, a crackdown on crime, more investment in skills, better business support, increased spending on transport, a halt in the march of employment regulations and fairer and simpler taxes. These are big issues that should form the basis of any small friendly approach,” Mr Mitchell concluded.
(MB/SP)
The FSB is writing to all its 4,500 members in Northern Ireland as well as those parliamentary hopefuls standing at the starting blocks in the race for Westminster.
Laying down the foundations of the FSB’s election campaign, FSB NI Policy Chairman, Wilfred Mitchell said: “With a general election on the horizon, the political parties will ignore small businesses at their peril.
“About 97% of all UK businesses employ less than 20 people. That’s some four million firms across the whole of the UK. In other words in each constituency about 4,000-6,000 business owners will be eligible to vote at the forth coming election.”
Mr Mitchell said the FSB would be urging all parties to put enterprise at the top of their policy agenda.
“Freedom from red tape, a crackdown on crime, more investment in skills, better business support, increased spending on transport, a halt in the march of employment regulations and fairer and simpler taxes. These are big issues that should form the basis of any small friendly approach,” Mr Mitchell concluded.
(MB/SP)
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Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:A mostly dry evening and night with a widespread frost developing along with freezing fog, which could become extensive, especially in the south. Winds remaining light. Minimum temperature -3 °C.
