Govt not doing enough, say small firms

Date: 12th November 2008

The government is not doing enough to help small businesses through the economic crisis, according to new research.

An investigation by the social networking portal cmypitch.com found that 77 per cent of the UK's small enterprises think Whitehall and Westminster aren't doing enough.

Among the demands on the government from business start-ups are forcing banks to lend more and pass on interest rate cuts.

Chief executive of cmypitch.com, Emmett Kilduff, said: "There's been a lot of talk from all parties on what government should be doing to support small businesses.

"This shows very clearly that more help is needed, in the form of tax breaks or financial support."

One in four of the firms surveyed said that taxation cuts were most-needed and would help growth, while others indentified VAT and national insurance relief.

Earlier this week, the British Bankers Association said that the sector would do all it could to help small businesses through the fiscal storm.