Small Businesses

Gordon Brown's ninth Budget speech held few surprises for the business community. He promised to strike the right balance between affordable tax cuts essential investment and stability which was paramount. Now is not the time he claimed for 'fiscal loosening' but for continued prudence to lock in stability by sustaining low inflation and low interest rates. Tax reliefs and other Budget benefits have been aimed at pensioners families with young children lower income families and first-time homebuyers (perhaps as incentives to encourage these groups to turn out and vote in the imminent general election) rather than businesses. Although the Chancellor emphasised the need to invest in...