Weekly Brief

Week 22 of 2009      Friday 05 June 2009

In this week's issue: Reshuffle; Economist; Expenses; Banks; Pubs; Workplace; Case studies

Reshuffle
The FSB was watching intently as Prime Minister Gordon Brown began his Cabinet reshuffle today. FSB Head of Public Affairs Stephen Alambritis told the Daily Mirror that speculation about Apprentice star Sir Alan Sugar getting a Government job would be a ‘real coup for small businesses'.

Economist
FSB National Chairman John Wright wrote a letter to the Economist urging the Government to respond to our calls for a Corporate Mediator to act as a go-between between small businesses and their banks and to mend the relationship between the two.

Expenses
Revelations on MPs expenses continued this week as the Daily Telegraph and two articles in the Financial Times (read second FT article) consulted the FSB on the impact of the scandal on small businesses.

Enterprise Finance Guarantee
FSB Head of Policy Andrew Cave gave evidence to the Business and Enterprise Select Committee on the impact of the Enterprise Finance Guarantee, as reported by the Financial Times.

Fair Pint Campaign
The FSB and the Fair Pint Campaign have launched a national campaign to push for Government action to refer the unfair tie between the country's pubs and the Pub Companies that own them to the Competition Commission, as covered by the Times, the Daily Express, the Daily Star, the Publican and the Morning Advertiser. Read the press release.

Workplace issues
Whistleblowing charity Public Concern at Work is conducting an employer survey on procedures bosses have set to allow staff to report problems in the workplace. View survey.

BBC
The BBC is looking for struggling businesses which would like help and advice from a business academic on increasing productivity. For more information contact Gemma Collins or Nick Andrews.

Channel 4
Channel 4 is looking for volunteers from across the UK to take part in an educational programme on human behaviour, titled Power Struggle. If you are interested, contact
0845 652 0635 or download a questionnaire.             

Have a good weekend,

Marc Shoffman