The Federation of Small Businesses has slammed the government over its failure to help small businesses.
Small businesses say the government is making it more difficult for them to handle the rapidly rising costs such as oil. In a poll of over 9,000 business by the FSB nearly 90 percent said that government policy was making it hard for them to deal with “crippling costs” while 96 percent said they were unhappy with the government’s record.
The FSB is calling for the government to help the UK’s 4.5 million small businesses cope with rising costs by using higher than expected North Sea oil tax revenues to reduce fuel duty.
FSB national chairman John Wright, said: “With the end of a period of relative stability, small business confidence in the government has plummeted in the last couple of years.
“Employment, tax and fuel policies have left many small firms feeling that their concerns are not being taken seriously enough.
“All we see is government consulting big business, with small businesses being left out of the loop. But small businesses produce over half of UK GDP and it is important that their needs are addressed if we are to get through the current economic difficulties.”