Success on the fringe at Labour

Freelancers and small businesses took their message directly to Government Ministers at a packed UKTECH/Labour Small Business Forum fringe meeting at the Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth.

One of the key points to arise from the question and answer session that followed the presentations was an undertaking from Economic Secretary, John Healey, that his department kept all aspects of tax legislation under review and that they would be willing to look at evidence relating to the impact of IR35.

Another important achievement from the meeting was a feeling that Ministers and the All Party Parliamentary Small Business Group wanted to hear and learn from the small business community and there was a general acceptance from all parties involved that freelancers and small businesses had an important role to play in the UK's economy.

All speakers thanked Philip Ross from the Labour Small Business Forum, and UKTECH who sponsored the event, for bringing the issue of small businesses into the heart of the Labour Party event in a spirit of co-operation rather than confrontation.

The fringe meeting

The Labour Small Business Forum was formed by Philip Ross, himself a freelancer who has campaigned on a number of issues relating to freelancing including fast track visas. Philip also stood as a Labour Party MP and has addressed the Labour Party conference on two occasions – the first time in 1999 when he spoke out against IR35 while Chancellor Gordon Brown looked on from the platform.

UKTECH has worked with Philip for a number of years and we felt that his objective of taking the issue of small businesses and freelancers within the Labour Party was 'worth a shot' at a fringe meeting at Party conference.

At Party conference there are hundreds of fringe meetings competing for the attention of delegates, MPs, activists and others. Our fringe 'Is Labour the Party of and for Small Business?' had secured the attendance of two Government Ministers – Nigel Griffiths (Minister for Small Business) and John Healey (Economic Secretary to the Treasury) as well as Kerry Pollard MP (Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Small Business Group).

Most fringe meetings will be pleased to have one Minister on the platform, the fact that we had two Ministers and the Chair of an All Party Group is testament to the importance the Labour Party is beginning to place on small businesses – and also to Philip's powers of persuasion.

Kerry Pollard summed this up when he opened the meeting by explaining that in the run up to the last General Election, his phone never stopped ringing as MPs wanted to ensure they were members of the All Party Parliamentary Small Business Group – having recognised that not only was every freelancer and small business owner a voter – but so were their partners, mothers, fathers, friends, brothers and sisters – who were all directly impacted by and knowledgeable of problems facing small businesses.

A success

When Philip and I were first discussing the prospect of having an event as part of the fringe programme in an inclusion rather than an opposing style – we estimated - and hoped - about 25-30 people might attend.

Sometimes at fringe meetings – the number of people on the platform outweighs the number of people in the audience! When we 'reccied' the room in the afternoon, we agreed that less than 10 would be a disaster; between 10-20 would be OK; 20-30 would fill the room.

However, about 70 people crammed in with standing room only at the back. They included small businesses; MPs; consultants; charities; delegates and freelancers.

I think we can take two messages away from this. Government Ministers don't often speak at 'standing-room only' fringe meetings – and they felt that this was a topic worthy of their continuing attention. As a result, there is a genuine feeling of wanting to build a better and more constructive relationship with small businesses – and opportunities to continue to develop a positive relationship at local and national levels by striking when the iron is hot.

The second message? Next year, we'll book a bigger room.

My thanks to those from UKTECH who also attended. I will do a more detailed report on the meeting later.