So disappointed in the Labour manifesto and SME

[flyingvisit]

I feel like the policies are designed to destroy very small businesses. All the focus is on brick and mortar businesses , which are outdated.
If anyone knows any better, please explain it to me?

Yes, I do get that impression too. Same as the Tories/Rishi did with the Covid support that was likewise aimed at bricks & mortar businesses, with many of the 3 million excluded being because they didn't have a B&M business. I don't think politicians and the senior civil servants actually realise just how many "home based" or "mobile" businesses there are. Pretty sure I saw some Fed of Small Business statistics showing something like 80% of the workforce were employed by the tiniest of businesses (many of whom wouldn't have premises!).

I'm 60 years old and will vote conservative for the first time in my life. We are fair employers but a mom and pop business so some of the employment policies of Labour will kill us. We already had 2 increased in NMW in the last year!

I don't understand your view on this, OP. What in the manifesto concerns you. I've only quickly read it so maybe missed something; there doesn't seem to be much to specifically help small business other than quicker payment times and help to access capital.

But there also doesn't seem much to harm them and one off the biggest areas is economy growth which, if they do it, will help small businesses indirectly as they tend to provide optional goods and services: so the more money people have, the more they tend to spend on things like this.

It's the employment policies mainly. We will be ok but will have to let staff go, sadly. The rest of the "growth" stuff is irrelevant to many SMEs as they arent bricks and mortar.

I can see...

Banning zero hour contracts
Raising the minimum wage and having it apply to all adults, regardless of age
Preventing fire and rehire
Access to to parental leave, sick pay, and protection from unfair dismissal from the start of employment

I'm really sorry it'll impact you, OP but personally I think these are good things to tackle. I hope they find a way to do it that doesn't cause you too much hassle, but I like those policies.

Two increases on NMW in the last year has been a direct reaction to a CoL crisis caused by inflation that was out of control there for a while. It was tough for businesses to pay it but similarly people were unable to live on the minimum wage as it was, once the cost of food and energy and mortages rose so hugely. It's been rubbish for everyone

As a small business owner i cannot wait for a labour government

As I said, we are fair employers but not all businesses are off the rack. We only employ people for couple of hours a day and having to pay big amounts of leave etc for people who do < 12 hrs a week is hard - we cant cover those costs so will have to let people go, sadly.

are you a big employer?

Your being too vague for me to follow, sorry OP.

In what way will you have to pay big amounts of leave for someone you employ for less than 2 hours a day? I am struggling to reconcile that with the manisfesto.

OP I am a small business who employs people

However, if your business cannot afford to pay people a fair wage, plus the leave, etc that they are entitled to - then you don't have a viable business

Zero hours makes sense for some people. I know my local shop uses this scheme as a lot of the staff prefer this. I don't see the harm in having it available. I guess as with all manifestos none of them will fit all it's about deciding which is best for you personally. I will have a good look through. I was interested in the funding for the house energy scheme and how this would work. If already have solar, batteries and insulation so unfortunately won't be able to use this. Hopefully others will benefit though. I wish they would put more about the costs for people. Grants and low cost loans could still be very expensive. Will it be available for people in rental properties? I guess it's a plan they can't put all the small print?

You're 'fair employers' but you hate NMW rises? And because of that, for the first time in your life, you'll vote for the party that brought them in? I don't get it. 🤷‍♀️

Well you're clearly not really a fair employer, are you?

No just a few staff. Honestly if you can't afford to pay staff properly then you really dont have a business

Customers will have more disposable income to spend with you. We export so trade is expected to be easier with less red tape and the lower costs associated with that (brexit almost ruined us)

I have to agree with the other posters here. All employees deserve fair working conditions.
And you complain about the rises in NMW but they were brought in by the Conservatives??

Sadly we have 2 customers - the NHS and the government.

We will be able to pay staff the increases (mostly leave entitlements) by increasing the cost to the end user.

I think going from NMW to a ' proper living wage' will really impact business's of all sizes and increase redundancies . Business are holding on by their fingertips and this will tip them over the edge .

If you can’t afford to pay your employees a fair wage and holiday pay then you have no business being in business. Your business model is only working if you’re exploiting people.

Not sure though why you’re voting for the party that has increased the minimum wage that you dislike so much…

Well most economists seem to like it as per below in the Independent article:

"Economists and investment experts have giving their veredict on how would the market react to the Tory and Labour proposals.

A chief of FX at investment platform Saxo has predicted that a large stable majority for Sir Keir Starmer could bring further GBP resilience, while a Conservative win, or even a Labour minority government, could “signal a weak policy framework” and bring “risks for the British pound”.

Charu Chanana, has said: “A Labour win could be positive for the pound, given their pro-growth stance and the potential to maintain smoother EU-UK relations.

“However, spending concerns could limit room for gains given the lack of fiscal space. A Conservative win, or even lack of a Labour majority, could signal a weak policy framework and risks for the British pound.”

I haven't read it myself but I thought the cover was nice and I have coloured in all the 'O's whilst watching the nice policeman outside the front door playing with our cat Larry. 🐱

(Edited as decided 'cat' should be identifed by name)

I wonder if your employees see you as a fair business employer. You sound like a dyed in the wool tory.

Good try rubbishing labour though👏

Genuinely a long term labour voter.
We really are fair employers and comply with all employment law (and look after our staff- we recently paid one full pay as sick leave for 26 weeks). We dont begrudge the raises in NMW but I was just pointing out that this has happened twice of late, so it will likely go up again to the NLW. Its easy to say this is mean but many businesses are on fixed fee contracts from clients for 3-4 years OR will have to recoop any rises from the end user. We will lay people off and go for subcontractors. We can actually pay them more but it is advantageous for the business overall.

I have only seen headlines so far, which parts are only going to help bricks and mortar businesses? Business rates? We aren't all outdated, I work for a very high tech small business which has it's own premises.

Just got to the bit in the manifesto about stopping fast track private lanes for government contracts (aka the lanes that allowed the last lot to give unscrutinised contracts of millions for PPE etc).

Seeing that has well cheered me up.