Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
With elections coming up on May 6, we’re taking a closer look at the manifestos to help you decide who to vote for.
For those of you in Wales, here is a round-up of the election pledges of each party that are geared towards small business owners.
Labour
Masterplans will be drawn up for towns and high streets, including a register of empty buildings and small businesses given help to move into empty shops
Protect more than 165,000 jobs by providing the most generous business support scheme in the UK
Use the £500m Wales Flexible Investment Fund to support economic recovery and expand the Development Bank of Wales’ patient capital funds to provide long-term lending to small and medium sized enterprises, entrepreneurs and start-ups. Increase the use of equity stakes in business support. Secure the creation of a Community Bank for Wales, supporting its growth so it has 30 branches across Wales over the next decade
Develop a Backing Local Firms Fund to support local businesses. Provide greater support for worker buyouts and, with the cooperative sector, seek to double the number of employee-owned businesses
Change the way people work, rather than commuting to the office every day, will seek