The Federation of Small Businesses calls on the UK Government to 'unchain the private sector' and to let it deliver its undoubted potential to generate recovery in the economy

Proposer:                Brian Heward (BH) - Lincolnshire
Seconder:               Doug Balderson (DB) - Lincolnshire

Policy Respondee:  Clive Davenport (CD), Chairman, Trade and Industry Policy Unit

The Motion was passed

Personal Votes For: 133

Personal Votes Against: 24

Branch Votes For: 93340
Branch Votes Against: 10480

What I am asking for is the opportunity for more implementation from the Government rather than just discussion of opportunities.  I think the question here is very simple, this particular motion was put together in November 2010, so things have changed since then however, I hope you agree that this motion is very much to the point. The private sector of the UK is shackled by ever increasing bureaucracy and red tape which takes up management time and inhibits growth.  It is difficult to take on staff and to grow.
 
The Government should introduce a moratorium on introducing new legislation and also simplify existing legislation.  We should let the private sector do what it is good at, creating jobs, innovating and growing the economy.  In short it should stop stopping us, hence the "stop stopping us motion" name.  I therefore, propose the motion.
 
Seconder Introduction (DB)
 
The increasing burden of regulation strangles the entrepreneurial spirit of this nation.  Businesses need the breaks of regulation releasing.  There are 1000s of self employed people who are scared of hiring staff because of fear of financial and other consequences of regulations.  We operate in a world where employees seem to have more rights than the employer.  Un-necessary regulations stop us from succeeding as businesses.  This motion enables us to move forward and lobby parliament on this issue even more than we currently do.
 
Policy Response (CD)
 
This is a really obvious motion; it is what we have been doing in policy for 4 years now.  There is a move in Government to recognise that red tape and bureaucracy are bad for business, and we are glad they recognise this but we need to continue to move and lobby on this, and ensure that Government come good on these commitments and continue to break regulatory barriers downs.
 
We want you to tell us of specific incidences and what could be done to make things easier for you.  We will lobby on this in both this country and in Brussels to the European Union.  However, we need hard cold facts and we need definite pieces of information, we won't pass on names but we do need these facts to lobby on your behalf.
 
For the motion
 
Small businesses need to be able to make fat profits to reinvest into their communities and economies.  We used to hold reserves in gold, but now we hold our assets in cyber space in the banks.  Banks are increasing their own reserves, but they cannot increase reserves and extend lending at the same time.  Profits are needed for instant cash.  The FSB needs action today.  We don't need smooth words from smooth politicians. 
 
Nigel Hillier - Exeter Spoke against the motion
 
I am not against the motion, but the motion speaks to what we have been doing for many years, so why do we need to debate it and make a motion?
 
For the motion
 
We do need some regulation and the paradoxical reality is that the FSB is probably one of the most regulated organisations I have ever belonged to.  If we pass this motion, perhaps we could look inwardly and look at our own red tape. I therefore, support the motion.
 
Karl Craig West - Leicestershire
 
I don't think this is a no brainer, I think it is a no hoper.  We are not going to get a moratorium and even if we obliged we are legally obligated by Maastricht and Rome to enact European legislation.  This motion does not make sense and I therefore, do not support the motion.
 
BH Concluded
 
I didn't expect many people to speak against it and I am pleased I pursued it.  I have seen so many promises over the last 37 years of my time as an FSB member, and they have rarely been implemented.  I admire the work of policy so far but promises have to be followed through.  Our job now is to see that the promises are enacted as we would wish them to be.  "Stop Stopping Us" could be a national campaign.  The FSB needs a refreshing approach like this, and the recruiters would welcome it.  The FSB could be positioning itself as the replacement for the RDAs and the work they did.  With renewed enthusiasm and dogged determination we can help the country turn the corner of economic recovery.