Even as a hardened businessman who has seen so much over the last 20 years or so, and who is rarely surprised by the many obstacles thrown my way, I am I must say wholly and completely frustrated by the uncertainty politics and those working in the political field can create.
However good you may be at making decisions and generally running a business the only aspect of working life that is impossible to legislate against is the vagaries of Government policy.
In the run up to a general election and with the likelihood of seeing the establishment of a Conservative Government, my business in line with thousands of other similar and successful businesses based around the Country, faces the prospect of closure and having to make that awful decision of implementing redundancy, for no reason other than the political whim of certain power driven MPs.
Do they care? Not in the slightest. Just because a policy decision has negative and often drastic ramifications in certain areas of business is not enough it would seem to make the collective of a political party pause and to consider alternative and less devastating measures.
The policy of the Conservative Party to ‘scrap’ HIPs is a classic example of this blinkered approach to policy making. I know there are many who support this decision and others who are not interested either way. However forgetting the merits or otherwise of the policy, the point is that the fall out of the implementation of that policy for those in business, or tied in as suppliers to that business, is to a large extent wholly irrelevant to the policy maker. Acceptable collateral, I suppose.
The question is whether it is in the present climate of sleaze and mistrust, right and proper to put so much faith in those in those charged with making these decisions. Can they be trusted and irrespective of Party line is it right for local MPs of that Party to be dismissive of the business interests of those based within the MP’s constituency just because of national Party line decisions?
I have spoken with both the newly appointed Conservative MP for Norwich North and the Prospective Conservative candidate for Norwich South. The MP was friendly enough, though it was clear from the brevity of the meeting and the glancing at the watch that she saw my plea for help as nothing other than a move provoked by self interest. On the subject of making my work force redundant, most of whom are young and who have mortgages, her reaction was indifferent in the extreme. It’s a shame for someone entering politics so young and who has ahead of her a long career in politics to adopt such a hardened and politically insular approach in her dealings with her constituents.
Why was it too much to ask for her help and for the bravery shown by her colleague in South Norwich who in complete contrast was helpful, sympathetic and showed keenness to take on the ‘fight’. Unfortunately however this also proved short lived. Not sure why, though I suspect he was told to fall into line and adopt the Party stance.
It is a shame that those who claim to care about local business can be so dismissive of concerns about job loss and the total destruction of the entrepreneurial spirit that led to the establishment of our business and the creation of jobs that has clearly benefited the local economy. What does this tell you about the Conservative Party?
Perhaps I should not be that surprised when the more senior members of the Conservative Party who pull and control the strings attached to the Party’s local representatives, seem to know little better. In a letter addressed to energy assessor who wrote with concern over the threat to his livelihood, Ken Clarke the Shadow Business Minister, had the audacity to reply by suggesting that the assessor should have known better:
‘There was obviously a political risk when your husband began his training and as they (HIPs) were criticised heavily from the moment that they were introduced’.
In other words you were a stupid man for entering a new industry that the Government of the day had set up but which for no reason other than a different view on the policy, the Conservative Party disapproved! It’s ridiculous.
I know I will receive little sympathy in certain quarters, however I hope the above will convince some that even though the loss of the HIP Industry will not have earth shattering ramifications, it is an industry comprising of ordinary hard working people who could because of an explicable political game being played by the Conservative Party, face the stress and personal tragedy of redundancy. Does a Party that prides itself in promoting new business on the one hand and then has little concern for unemployment on the other deserve your vote?
This is a serious question and one that should be taken into account when voting as the next business in line for political destruction could very well be yours or that of your employer.
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