 The FPB has named Michael Wills, the Labour MP for North Swindon, as the 2008 business-friendly MP/MEP. Mr Wills headed off competition from twelve other politicians in the shortlist to scoop the accolade, which is sponsored by England's Regional Development Agencies.
The presentation of the award, which recognises the work of politicians who have excelled in understanding and championing the needs of smaller businesses in the UK, took place in a ceremony at Portcullis House in Westminster yesterday evening.
The FPB's National Chairman, Len Collinson, presented Mr Wills with the award. He praised the MP for standing up for small firms in Swindon.
 "The FPB provides the owners of small businesses with a political voice that they would otherwise not have," he said. "All of these politicians were shortlisted for the 2008 business-friendly MP/MEP award because they were nominated by the business owners who are directly affected by issues such tax and red tape, and who rely on their elected representatives and organisations like the FPB to fight their corner.
Mr Collinson added: "The FPB is often critical of government policies or inaction. However, it is refreshing to see that there are politicians – many of whom hold, or have held, prominent positions in their respective parties – who are determined to stand up for small businesses, and who recognise the fact that encouraging entrepreneurship is essential for the good of the economy."
The decision to award to Mr Wills with the accolade was made by a panel of five judges. They were: Len Collinson; Jane Caven, managing director of Sage Green (and a non-executive director of the FPB); Howard Jackson, managing director of HCSS Education; Peter Walker, managing director of Vista Communications; and Mike Hill, Head of Enterprise, Skills and Strategy at the North West Regional Development Agency, which is the current lead RDA.
In his acceptance speech, Mr Wills emphasised that campaigning on behalf of small businesses should reach across political divides, saying every MP needed to be active in their support, in particular in tackling the burden of red tape. He was nominated by a constituent business owner after helping him to settle a dispute with the Health & Safety Executive, which had left his farm facing closure.
"I am thrilled to have won this award. I am grateful to Rupert Burr of Roves Farm for nominating me, but I am even more pleased that I was able to be of some assistance to him over the past few years," said Mr Wills. "He is a model entrepreneur and he has made Roves Farm something all Swindonians can be proud of."
The shortlist for the award – now in its third year – were (surnames in alphabetical order): Bob Blizzard (Labour MP for Waveney); Tim Boswell (Conservative MP for Daventry); Lorely Burt (Liberal Democrat MP for Solihull); Bruce George (Labour MP for Walsall South); Oliver Heald (Conservative MP for Hertfordshire North East); Philip Hollobone (Conservative MP for Kettering); the Rt Hon David Maclean (Conservative MP for Penrith and the Border); George Osborne (Conservative MP for Tatton); John Penrose (Conservative MP for Weston-super-Mare); Rob Wilson (Conservative MP for Reading East); Derek Wyatt (Labour MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey); Sir George Young (Conservative MP for North West Hampshire).
The award is sponsored by the Regional Development Agencies. The RDAs work with a wide range of public and private sector organisations in the English regions to tackle the barriers holding back economic growth. Support for small businesses, enterprise and innovation is a key priority for all the RDAs. More information is on: www.englandsrdas.com. |
|
