…to the Federation of Small Businesses? A staunch member of the SNP for 35 years, I’ve never endorsed another’s manifesto. But I find the FSB’s booklet laced with a sense that would lead us out of this economic fankle faster than anything I have heard espoused by UK parties and can’t quibble with:
- it is in both private and public sectors’ interests to return to growth quickly
- Scotland’s business support agencies should collate and promote information about all sources of business finance (to bypass banks’ excessive demands)
- link the amount Holyrood has to spend with Scotland’s economic performance (thus hard-wiring economics into the decision making process)
- ScotRail should provide reliable 3G Mobile and Wi-fi on all key rail routes
- by focussing on account-managed companies, Scottish Enterprise touches few of Scotland’s 297,000 businesses
- to survive, town centres need to have more economically active people in a wider range of activities (more local jobs -> more money -> more local spend)
I disagree with parts (e.g. doing away with council-level decision-making), but all prospective MSPs should digest this booklet. Big banks got us into this mess but 99% of Scottish businesses employ under 250 people. It’s time politicians tuned in to them.
