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New research of UK SME business owners shows that the Conservative Party is no longer the party of business.
When initially asked who they would be voting for in the General Election, Labour came out prosperous with two fifths of the votes, followed by the Liberal Democrats (28.7%) and Conservatives (26.7%).
However, when asked who they thought would do a better job for British businesses, Rishi Sunak was voted as the most favourable (40.2%), with Sir Kier Starmer receiving almost one third of votes (32.1%). Sir Ed Davey did receive a small amount of the votes, but almost one fifth of UK business owners (18.8%) don’t feel either of the three main candidates would do a particularly good job.
Sarah Austin, Director of www.britishbusinessexcellenceawards.co.uk, who commissioned the research, commented: “While the date for this year’s General Election is yet to be determined, it’s evident that the Conservatives face an intimidating challenge in retaining power. Labour is clearly the favourite party among business owners, but that’s no doubt largely due to Conservative Party fatigue and not the leadership of Rishi Sunak. It’s clear that business owners see Rishi as a steady hand as he ironically received the most votes.
“It’s concerning to hear that so many business owners don’t feel either of the three main candidates will do a particularly good job for British business. With the UK coming out of recession, the cost-of-living crisis ongoing and inflation and interest rates high, business owners need to have some level of trust in the leading party, especially the Prime Minister – whoever that may be. All we can do is hope that the new Prime Minister will take steps to ensure a successful future for British business – as we all know, the likelihood of a Brexit reversal is slim to none, so we must look forward to a way of supporting and celebrating British business.”