On 21st October, Gordon Brown visited Kent Science Park in Sittingbourne, to announce the Government’s package of business support to help small and medium sized businesses.  Note below from Bob Jones, after attending the event:

Dear colleague, partner, Kent businesses,

Just some notes from yesterday’s PM Q&A session at Kent Science Park.  For those of you there I hope you recognise some of my take on the content.  If not feel free to send your own impressions round!

First, a really good turn out from businesses with some coming from as far away as Camberley. Apologies to those of you who got ‘bumped’ from the event.  The tight timescale meant that organisation got a little chaotic towards the end.

Next, the PM was very impressive, speaking for 15 minutes on the economy, no notes, no hesitation, really clear structure and direction.  Lord Mandelson was with him, along with John Denham, S of S DIUS, Jonathan Shaw, Minister for the SE and Jim Braithwaite, SEEDA Chair who hosted.

PM’s presentation:
There are three key issues in the world economy currently:

• restructuring of industry for the future
• first ever global commodity shortage pushing prices of ’staples’ up: energy, petrol, bread, other foodstuffs
• first ever instance when global capital markets and movements have broken out of the national regulatory systems set up after WW2

Challenges posed by each:

• skills and investment in industries for the future: PM believes UK very well set with clear advantages in science & technology, higher level skills, creativity and inventiveness.  Need to focus on further development of skills in work force and on science and technology skills. Changes taking place in funding and in making training fit for purpose and relevant (Train2Gain will be targeted at SME market with tailored offer).  Sharon Goodyer of the Cake Bake Company asked about help with relevant skills and had a great exchange with the panel, including an offer from the PM to get a cake from her for Lord Mandelson whose birthday it was (thanks Fraser for the tip, I passed it on to SEEDA!!!).  Sharon was also all over the media yesterday, haven’t seen it yet but catch it on-line if you can!

Quote from PM:
“If you’re not first in education you will be second in most things”

• China: UK has the best relationship with China of any EU country (Lord M) and we were urged to ‘twin properly, build trust and familiarity, allocate time effort and energy’.  China Gateway seen as major opportunity.  China is nervous about investing overseas as has had a bad experience so imporatnt to be in for the long term.
• Finance: banks need to return to behaving like banks, not as instruments of government.  Need to ’save’ them is around their unique and pivotal role in markets.
  VAT ‘holiday’/loan: PM said that the way forward is to engage with Inland Revenue who are prepared to stage paymentrs and be ‘flexible’.
  Need to engage with global community to set up new regulatory framework for capital markets and PM is focussing on this as a priority.

He accepts that times are tough but expressed confidence in UK ability to ride it out (no clue on for how long) and be successful in the longer term (”the global economy will double in the next 20 years and we need to be ready for that”).

I’m sure that there were bits I missed so as I say do email them round if you were there.  Sorry to Chris and Fraser that I didn’t ask your questions, hopefully some of what you were interested in is contained in this note!

With the Business Link service ramping up to help companies please ‘bang the drum’ for the brand and make sure any concerned SME colleagues know about what we can offer them.  We didn’t get a mention as a service yesterday and we are keen to get the offer out there to help those who need it.

Best wishes,

Bob

Bob Jones
MANAGING DIRECTOR, BUSINESS SERVICES
Business Support Kent CIC