Right now political candidates of all stripes can’t get enough of the UK’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with party leaders falling over themselves to appear in hard hats and high vis to promote enterprise and industry.
As such, this month represents a unique opportunity for business owners to let government know what they need. I know they have concerns. I chair HM Revenue & Customs’ Administrative Burdens Advisory Board and recently surveyed small companies and their advisers to gather insight on the big issues faced when engaging with the tax system, receiving a record 15,000 responses this year.
But are politicians aware of these concerns? I’m not sure they are. It’s no surprise that they are eager to align themselves with SMEs, given their