What businesses want: A general election wish-list from Business West

As we move towards the general election and the airwaves become crowded with chatter, what business wants could be lost in the noise. Ian Mean, Business West Gloucestershire director, makes it clear.

With just a few weeks to go to the general election on July 4, our businesses want a  clear victor to emerge to overhaul the planning system and upgrade infrastructure to kickstart the economy. 

Companies simply want the new government to support investor confidence for real growth, writes Ian Mean, Business West Gloucestershire director.

In my view, the new government needs a formal industrial strategy to maximise Britain’s strengths in the life sciences, digital, creative, financial services, clean power, automotive, aerospace and defence sectors. 

Isn’t that logical? 

Here in Gloucestershire, the key sectors which need the new government’s support include security cyber, digital, nuclear and specialist engineering and manufacturing. 

Quite a list. 

Our prospective MPs must get a grip on the need to support the key sector companies in their areas. 

And in Gloucestershire that support must predominantly be for the SMEs-the small and medium size companies-of which there are around 30,000.