BRITISH BUSINESS DISMAYED AT BROWN'S LAST BUDGET
23/03/07 | 10:27
In response to the question: "Thinking of today's Budget what do you think it is likely to do for the overall competitiveness of Britain's businesses?", the responses were:
Improve competitiveness 17%
Make no difference 60%
Make competitiveness worse 23%
When asked: "How is the Budget likely to affect the overall burden of tax your business pays?", the responses were:
Increase it 43%
Decrease it 10%
It will broadly remain unchanged 47%
The Chancellor claimed would be a "Budget for business" but our survey shows that only 17% of business think it will improve Britain's competitiveness while 43% think it will increase their tax burden.
The poll also revealed that 71% of UK businesses think that the rise in the Small Companies’ Rate from 19 to 22 per cent will harm their business David Frost, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce said:
"The results of our survey make worrying reading for Gordon Brown.
“In our budget submission we urged the Chancellor to think small first. He failed to this and instead has increased the burden on small and medium sized businesses. The rise in small companies corporation tax will have a particularly damaging effect, with 71% of those surveyed saying it would harm their business.
"As a Chancellor who champions enterprise and acknowledges the importance of small business to the UK economy, many of our members feel let down and are dismayed by the measures taken which will hit their competitiveness and increase their tax burden”.
ENDS
MEDIA CONTACT:NOTES TO EDITORS:When asked the question: " Taking everything in today’s Budget into account, what kind of impact will the rise in the small companies’ rate of corporation tax from 19% to 22% by 2009 have on your business?
The response was:
Highly negative 31%
Somewhat negative 40%
Broadly neutral 15%
Not applicable 14%
Populus interviewed 110 members of the British Chambers of Commerce online on 21st and 22nd March 2007 after the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown gave his 11th, and probably final Budget speech. Populus is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. For more details go to www.populuslimited.com.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is the National Voice of Local Business.
The BCC sits at the heart of a powerful nationwide network of Accredited Chambers of Commerce serving business across the UK, which employ over five million people.