{"id":53692,"date":"2015-02-10T15:58:03","date_gmt":"2015-02-10T15:58:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=70cc36a1636aebf98313e25a355cdb35"},"modified":"2015-02-10T15:58:03","modified_gmt":"2015-02-10T15:58:03","slug":"speech-british-chambers-of-commerce-pm-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=53692","title":{"rendered":"Speech: British Chambers of Commerce: PM speech"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Five years ago we came into office with one task that ranked above all the others \u2013 to help engineer a private sector revival, and get Britain back to living within its means again. <\/p>\n

For 5 years we have been working in partnership with you and today, when you look at all the central questions facing our country \u2013 whether Britain can compete, and grow, and create jobs, and pay its way in the world the answer is a resounding \u201cyes\u201d. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s thanks to you \u2013 and businesses like you \u2013 that last year we were the fastest-growing major economy. It\u2019s thanks to you there are 1.75 million more people in work in our country. It\u2019s thanks to you that this recovery is taking root not just here in London but right across our country.<\/p>\n

And let me say this. When I see businesses on the move \u2013 expanding, succeeding \u2013 it quickens the pulse. Yes, of course, I like what it all means \u2013 but I also deeply admire the people who make it happen. As I go up and down the country \u2013 you may have seen me in the odd high vis jacket \u2013 I am inspired by what I see. I see the ups and downs. I see the sacrifices it takes to succeed; the risks and rewards \u2013 the joy and the frustration.<\/p>\n

Every time I lay a foundation stone, cut a ribbon, unveil a plaque, shake a hand, present an award, I see Britain coming back and it fills my heart with pride to see what you have achieved these last 5 years. <\/p>\n

This recovery has been firmly business-led \u2013 but I hope you will agree that this government has played its part. If you look at all those things you asked for \u2013 with our long-term economic plan, we have delivered.<\/p>\n

[Party political content].<\/p>\n

The economy<\/h2>\n

You asked for a stable framework to do business in \u2013 and we have delivered. Inflation low. Interest rates low. Stability locked in. The UK economy is now seen as a safe bet \u2013 attracting investment from around the world. This didn\u2019t happen by accident. It is the result of difficult, long-term decisions taken by this government.<\/p>\n

So far we\u2019ve cut the deficit in half.<\/p>\n

[Party political content]<\/p>\n

You asked that while we got Britain back living within her means, we should invest in the things that really matter: science, superfast broadband<\/a>, our railways and roads. That is what we\u2019ve done. The science budget \u2013 protected. 40,000 homes and business connected to superfast broadband every week. Crossrail \u2013 Europe\u2019s largest construction project \u2013 almost complete. There\u2019s High Speed 2<\/a> \u2013 the first new railway line north of London since the Victorian times and Hinkley Point<\/a> \u2013 the first nuclear power station for a generation. <\/p>\n

[Party political content].<\/p>\n

Taxes<\/h2>\n

You asked for lower taxes \u2013 we\u2019ve delivered up to \u00a32000 cut off National Insurance bills and corporation tax slashed to 20p this April \u2013 the lowest in the G20 \u2013 and by far the lowest rate in the G7. <\/p>\n

[Party political content].<\/p>\n

We guarantee to have the most competitive corporate tax regime in the G20, more competitive than the US, India, Germany, China, Canada, Brazil \u2013 all of them. You asked for cuts to regulation \u2013 we have delivered. The first government in 40 years to have less regulation than when we started. Domestic regulation has been cut by \u00a310 billion over the past 4 years.<\/p>\n

[Party political content].<\/p>\n

Britain in the world<\/h2>\n

You said \u201chelp us sell to the world\u201d \u2013 and we have backed you. We went into the Foreign Office and completely changed the mind-set. No more squeamishness about mixing trade and diplomacy – our ambassadors are now trade envoys whose job is to sell Britain. I have loaded up planes with business people; we\u2019ve had ayran in Ankara, teh-tarik in Kuala Lumpur, tea in Beijing. <\/p>\n

The GREAT Britain campaign<\/a> we started is our nation\u2019s most ambitious international marketing campaign ever flying the flag \u2013 literally \u2013 in 144 countries. And all of this is working. UK goods exports are up to China by 110%; to South Korea by 145%.<\/p>\n

In the next Parliament we have an ambition for 1 trillion exports. Yes, this is challenging, but we will aim high.<\/p>\n

And we will drive forward the first EU-US trade deal as well as leading the charge on trade deals with China, India and Japan, so that we can expand the horizons of the whole EU. And we heard some other things from you. <\/p>\n

Building Britain<\/h2>\n

You said: \u201cGet Britain building\u201d: this has taken time, but we have done what is necessary to take the brakes off. We unblocked the planning system, slashed the bureaucratic guidance from 1000 pages to 50 and introduced Help to Buy<\/a>, which has had a profound effect on house-building right across the country \u2013 indeed in the past year alone, planning permission has been granted for 240,000 new homes. <\/p>\n

As an added incentive to councils, we introduced the New Homes Bonus<\/a> and we said: keep 50% of the business rates raised.<\/p>\n

[Party political content].<\/p>\n

You said \u201cGet Britain learning\u201d and we have seen record numbers of apprenticeships – 2 million already.<\/a><\/p>\n

[Party political content].<\/p>\n

You said \u201cGet Britain working\u201d because no nation can succeed with a bloated welfare system that paid people not to work. So we have done some difficult things. Capping benefits; checking whether anyone on incapacity benefit is capable of work; setting up the largest welfare-to-work programme in our history. Today there are 900,000 fewer people on the main out of work benefits than in 2010. Our plan is working. <\/p>\n

[Party political content].<\/p>\n

Start-Up Loans<\/h2>\n

You asked us to \u201cGet Britain lending\u201d too because frankly, a lot of businesses were desperate. The credit had dried up, the banks weren\u2019t listening and good businesses were in danger of going to the wall. So we did a number of things. Funding for Lending has pumped \u00a347 billion into the economy. The British Business Bank has supported over 21,000 businesses. <\/p>\n

We introduced Start-up Loans<\/a> \u2013 up to \u00a325,000 for a great business idea \u2013 and these have been a huge success: 25,000 already issued – with more to come. <\/p>\n

[Party political content].<\/p>\n

Growing your business<\/h2>\n

But I know, and you know, that more needs to be done. Too many fast-growing businesses still find it hard to access finance. I\u2019m thinking particularly of those wanting to grow, who have established themselves and want to take that next step to becoming a medium-sized business, but cannot. But as we see in countries like Germany, with their Mittelstand of strong, well-financed, medium-sized businesses \u2013 this is where a lot of the growth and jobs comes from. Indeed here in the UK, 45% of the job growth has come from our fastest growing medium-sized businesses. <\/p>\n

Their businesses \u2013 your business \u2013 are the country\u2019s job engine. But they often struggle to get the finance they need to grow. We need to think strategically about helping those small firms over the \u2018valley of death\u2019 funding gap so they can become medium firms and the medium firms can become larger firms.<\/p>\n

[Party political content].<\/p>\n

Accessing finance<\/h2>\n

Our ambition is to help 500 of our fastest growing firms annually – giving entrepreneurs the access to the kind of finance their German equivalent would get. The Business Bank I set up has found the finance gap is likely to be up to \u00a31 billion per year. One billion of opportunities \u2013 lost. One billion of new investment \u2013 missed. We will plug this billion-pound gap by using the government\u2019s balance sheet to guarantee loans by private lenders, or by co-investing public money alongside private money. To test the best model for the Help to Grow scheme, I can announce that the British Business Bank will start a pilot scheme at the Budget with at least \u00a3100 million of new lending. This will allow us to get the best possible programme up and running [Party political content].<\/p>\n

I want Britain to have its own version of the German \u2018Mittelstand\u2019 \u2013 a backbone of medium-sized firms which export, innovate and generate new jobs; and with our Help to Grow scheme, we will be there to back you.<\/p>\n

So this is what we\u2019re delivering. A stable economy, massive investment in our roads and railways, lower taxes, less red tape, record apprenticeships, real planning reform, vital welfare reform, new ideas on finance and a commitment to double down on all of it next time around.<\/p>\n

And I have another message for you today. <\/p>\n

Long term economic plan<\/h2>\n

Now that our long-term economic plan is truly working together, we\u2019ve got to make sure it works for everyone in our country. Economic success can\u2019t just be shown in the GDP figures or on the balance sheets of British businesses but in people\u2019s pay packets and bank accounts and lifestyles.<\/p>\n

The most recent figures show that wages are already growing faster than inflation, and as the economy continues to grow it\u2019s important this continues and that everyone benefits. Put simply \u2013 it\u2019s time Britain had a pay rise. This recovery has been marked by astounding job creation. One thousand more people in work, on average, every single day since the election. <\/p>\n

To make sure more of those workers feel the effects of this recovery, this government has already delivered the first real-terms increase in the minimum wage since the crisis.<\/p>\n

I want that to go further \u2013 indeed we are on a trajectory to over \u00a38 an hour by 2020.<\/p>\n

As for business \u2013 the conditions have not been this good for a long time. We\u2019ve got the strongest growth for 7 years. We are seeing falling oil prices, meaning businesses up and down the country have lower prices on their inputs. Inflation is at 0.5%. <\/p>\n

Now that your costs are falling and it\u2019s cheaper to do business \u2013 I\u2019m confident that more businesses will pass on that good economic news to their workers, in rising pay cheques and higher earnings.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s good for your employees; it\u2019s good for you to have happier and more productive staff and frankly it\u2019s good for anyone who wants to make the argument for business. <\/p>\n

Because for us business is not a conspiracy of runaway profits, depressed wages, inequality and unfairness \u2013 it is the best generator of growth, wealth, work and opportunity there is, and there would be no better way to demonstrate that right now than to give Britain a pay rise. <\/p>\n

[Party political content].<\/p>\n

Partnership between government and business<\/h2>\n

This is a great British partnership between government and business. Together we are not just pushing up those GDP figures \u2013 we are improving people\u2019s lives. This recovery is being felt in the young person who feels the pride of getting their first pay cheque, in the mother who is now working and can provide for her family.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s about our children and grandchildren not heading into the future saddled with more debt than they can ever hope to repay but looking ahead with hope \u2013 because this is a nation with opportunities for them to seize, jobs for them to take and homes for them to buy.<\/p>\n

Our long-term plan is quite simply about securing a better future for you, your family, and our country so together \u2013 let\u2019s see this through. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

David Cameron discussed the long term economic plan, Britain in the world, Start-Up Loans and government working in partnership with business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53692"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=53692"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53692\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=53692"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=53692"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=53692"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}