Dr Adam Marshall: take bold steps to help UK business thrive

Dr Marshall will say:

“We in business share your [government’s] optimism about what the United Kingdom can achieve. We share your positive ambitions for the future.

“Achieving those ambitions depends on tackling challenges and building solutions together. It depends on creating an environment that helps British business and trade to thrive – not just survive.”

“We respect the fact that ministers have made political choices.

“Yet we also must point out that these choices are likely to bring significant near-term costs and pressures for UK businesses and traders.

“These costs will be borne not just by our businesses – but also by consumers, and by our communities.

“There’s nothing ideological or political about stating this.

“It’s a simple fact.

“Over the next few years:

– moving goods across borders is going to cost businesses more;

– hiring people is going to cost businesses more;

– compliance with additional rules on tax, data, and standards is going to cost businesses more.”

“What businesses want to see now is Westminster focusing in on the details that matter, so that companies can move goods, people and data across borders successfully after the 1st of January.”

“If the Government has taken some choices that will make life harder for UK businesses – it must now take others that make things easier.

– It must put measures in place to help businesses whose cash flow and supply chains could be disrupted when the transition period comes to an end on 31st December;

– It must stop tinkering round the edges and finally tackle the drag anchor of business rates, which undermine investment and risk-taking, and suffocate our high streets;

– It must put its money where its mouth is to support and promote UK trade, to give a leg up to the many thousands of companies whose overseas efforts will make Global Britain a reality;

– It must create deeper incentives to encourage businesses of all sizes to move further, faster on carbon reduction and energy efficiency;

– It must move infrastructure projects forward, faster – including everything from fixing local roads to expanding our global hub airport at Heathrow

– It must give places more control over their own destiny, to achieve the aim of ‘levelling up’ the prospects for every region and nation;

– And crucially, Her Majesty’s Government must stop dreaming up new bureaucracy, new administration, and new compliance requirements, so companies can put their time and resources into their people, their communities, and the climate challenge instead.”