Brexit and small/medium businesses

There still needs to be much more government support and advice. Damage has already been caused by the prospect of Brexit, and there will be more to come. It needs to be tackled from all directions.

It is also clear to me from reading the blog every day for a year that the complexities for the multitude of sectors involved are way too much for the vast majority of people to get to grips with. That includes journalists, politicians and the public at large. This one from December gives links to the impact assessments from the blog.
www.eureferendum.com/blogview.aspx?blogno=86697

I totally agree about the damage and misery Elegran. I am actually of the opinion that Brexit is impossible. It might be accomplished with a plan drawn up over ten years and implemented over the next twenty. I think it is beyond the competence of the current crop of politicians.

Gillybob what measures do you feel would help you and the people on the forum you mention to face with a degree of confidence a UK post-Brexit? Can you think about it when you are not up the eyebrows in grandchildren or business paperwork? Most of the posts on GN are from people with experienc ein the public sector. The views of someone trying to maintain a private business and keep their employees in work would be invaluable.

Agreed, Mamie As A longterm plan for a gradual and well-supported move away from one system and toward another it could be feasible. As an overnight transformation it stinks.

The North blog is interesting because he is a leaver, with a long-term carefully crafted plan called Flexcit. He is clearly furious that it risks being sunk by the current foolhardy rush towards a Brexit devoid of thought or planning.
I don't agree with his long-term aims, but I do respect his knowledge.

I read North's blog, too, Mamie (though not quite every day) and have linked to it from time to time. It is excellent and I could wish that more people would read it.

I also find it notable for the very civilised BTL comments from a mix of Leavers and Remainers.

There still needs to be much more government support and advice

I'm afraid I really don't hold out much hope for this from a government that hasn't even done any proper Impact Assessments. For a supposed 'party of business' they seem totally bemused by the whole affair when it comes to supporting 'business'.

I think rabbits and headlights just about sums up the Government Maizie. I don't doubt that there are people behind the scenes working away at a strategy, but I don't think we will see it yet.
Public opinion still needs to shift as the reality becomes clearer.

I don’t think the strategy will come from DExEU btw.

Surely there was an impact assessment report regarding small businesses, along with the other impact assessment reports? Oh, hang on.....

Maizie You "don't hold out much hope for this from a government who . . ." but I keep asking can we hope for anything more from any OTHER government? What are the plans of the opposition for small and medium businesses? Britain used to be called a nation of shopkeepers, but they seem to have become invisible.

Rabbits and headlights seems to describe many reactions, and not just in government.

There is a great deal of condemnation of the actions and inactions of the present government, but running around like headless chickens blaming each other for letting the sky fall doesn't put a roof on the chicken run. Whether the chickens are scratching for worms in Farmer Jones' field or Mrs Smith's orchard, they will need shelter from the storms to come, and that means all the chickens, not just the ones with few feathers and pecked bums. The ones who are still trying hard to keep egg production going need a bit of support too. Is there a blueprint for the new coop where they can lay their eggs for Farmer Jones to collect and sell?
If there isn't, shouldn't the chickens spend some of their time considering just what kind of coop would be best and trying to get that built, and a bit less time bewailing the wanton destruction of the old one?

The problem is Elegran that it is hard for anyone to plan when they don’t know what the government’s vision for post-Brexit Britain is. All we hear is talk of a “deep and special relationship” and Canada ++. The EU seems to have made it clear that the UK can have Canada or Norway but the regulatory framework does not allow anything in between, so Canada ++ is not possible. According to the Independent today, the transition period seems likely to be Norway. I don’t see how businesses can plan if they don’t know the basics with regard to SM / CU.
Having said that, I am sure that many big businesses have well-developed plans to move out of the UK in the event of a hard Brexit.

I think the fundamental problem is that you cannot just lump 'small business' together - it's exceptionally diverse. The only 'group' that stands out are housing - real estate and construction are nearly 50%.
9% of the UK's SMEs export and a further 15% are in the supply chains of other businesses that export. They will all have different needs post Brexit - an estate agent will have different concerns from a manufacturer.

Perhaps their relevant trade associations should be actively understanding what their members need and making representations for appropriate support?

I don't mean to sound unsympathetic - it's just lumping everyone together as a group is a futile exercise in my opinion.

Primrose, do you think building related small businesses will be better or worse off after Brexit? (and why - genuine question).

I've always thought that lumping SMEs together was meaningless.
Companies with fewer than 250 staff and a balance sheet or turnover of £50 million or less does not seem medium to most people.
Small means fewer than 50 staff and a balance sheet or turnover of less than £10 million.

Jura, I don't have a clue is the honest answer. London estate agents are already struggling in some areas where prices have fallen by 10%. I don't know if that's Brexit or stamp duty changes, or if a fall in price is necessarily a bad thing.
People could stay where they are and extend their properties, so small builders might do well.

Change is always more complicated than we think and I'm sure some businesses will do very well and others will not. But that has happened anyway - there's always winners and losers. I do think that business owners are very adaptable though. They are all people who have seen an opportunity and invested their time and money to build a business. Whatever happens with Brexit, they'll still have that same attitude.

Is that not what your M Sc is about, Primrose, business change?

I'm not talking about anything personal here Jen! I've learnt that the hard way. I'm not stupid enough to give vitriolic posters any information about me that they can weaponise and use to try and undermine my opinions.

Not saying anyone on the thread is vitriolic by the way - it's just anyone can read it and I'm not feeding their hate.

24housing.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ddd12a1ee3330a83986ae5fc5&id=b3827a0011&e=23ddde61eb

Good news for anyone working for Carillion. The building work is out there.

I don't know why you responded like that, primrose.
I was just wondering if your previous comment was from the personal or theoretical point of view. It could be read either way.
Are you talking about business owners you know or business owners in general?

I am an ex business owner. Not ashamed to say so.

Surely the biggest factor for any business post-Brexit is the extent to which it depends on trade with the EU? Supply of components, standards and regulations, export markets (to name but a few) might all be affected to a greater or lesser extent.
I don't think there are many generalisations to be made here - every case will be different.

According to the Telegraph today, Gove is the expert on business after Brexit.
He thinks it will be brilliant for future businesses; shame about the ones that are here now.
Has anything Gove said ever come true, does anyone know?

Even those businesses which do not trade with the EU will lose out if internal trade is affected, which it will be if the economy suffers generally.