A 90 strong group of Real Life Entrepreneurs from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), including 10 small business owners from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, are joining together to march on Parliament next week to push the Government to act on its promises to remove the barriers to growth for small business owners.

As part of the ongoing FSB Real Life Entrepreneurs Campaign, the delegates will be visiting the Houses of Parliament to speak to in excess of 40 MPs on the issues that small business owners face. Hosted by North Tyneside MP Mary Glindon the reception will be addressed by Shadow Small Business Minister and Chesterfield MP, Toby Perkins, who will outline what practical steps can be taken to improve the confidence of small business owners and what action needs to be taken to make a difference across six key areas:

Increasing the routes to finance by ensuring that the recommendations set out by the Independent Commission on Banking are implemented by 2015 so small businesses can benefit from increased competition on the high street as well as being able to move banks more easily
Improving cash-flow. FSB research has shown that more than 70 per cent of businesses have experienced late payment. The Government must make sure that all public sector agencies and its contractors pay on time
Adopting a new approach to regulation. With a third of FSB members citing regulation as their single biggest obstacle to growth, the Government must do more to reduce the burden at local, national and EU levels
Reducing and simplifying business taxes to help more people become entrepreneurs
Incentivising job creation. Many businesses worry about the cost and responsibility of taking on their first member of staff and so the FSB is urging the Government to reduce this cost by extending the National Insurance Contributions holiday to all businesses with fewer than four employees across the whole of the UK
Opening up export markets. A quarter of FSB members currently export and they would like to do more but are put off by red tape and regulation, so the FSB is calling for a single European contract law to ensure that more small businesses can access the export market

The delegation will become an annual pilgrimage to allow the grass roots businessmen and women in the UK to express the issues and barriers they face to grow the economy.

Karl Sirrell, Regional Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses, said:

“We are calling on all MPs to listen to the Real-Life Entrepreneurs that have told us their problems and are now visiting London to express them. We urge the Government to make the changes required to address the needs of these grass roots businesses that contribute over a third of the turnover of the economy and 50% of the jobs to the economy. Our event will not only help the Real Life Entrepreneurs to share the key issues they face but also in the long run demonstrate to Government what is needed to grow their businesses further. We are also confident that this lobbying will help others take the plunge and set up business across the UK.”

Abigail Cutts, one of the delegates attending the event, from The Funfair Brewing Company, said:

“Despite the downturn in the economy and the banks lack of assistance, we are a small business success story, but it hasn’t been easy. Attending the FSB’s Westminster Reception is a fantastic opportunity for me and other business owners to speak to MPs about the challenges many businesses face.”