The Real Life Entrepreneurs’ Campaign has received huge support from MPs, the latest being Ian Lavery, MP for Wansbeck. The campaign has been launched by the Federation of Small Businesses to attract support for the everyday people who take risks to start their own enterprise. The FSB North East regional chairman, Ted Salmon welcomed the support from Ian Lavery, who has become a Westminster champion for the Real Life Entrepreneur campaign.

The campaign organisers intend to call on the government to remove growth barriers, like access to business funding, a simplified tax system and dealing with the late payments from larger companies, all which place a huge burden on small businesses. The Northumberland MP acknowledges that small businesses contribute substantially to the local economy, with growth and jobs creation. Lavery said:

“I am pleased to add my support to the FSB campaign and hope this will assist small businesses in Wansbeck and encourage and enable more real life entrepreneurs.”

Excessive red tape is viewed as the largest burden to small businesses by a third of entrepreneurs, and out of 139 countries the UK is the 89th in reference to legislative burden for small businesses. Small businesses are frequently affected by late payments, with 70 percent receiving payments late. Of these businesses, two thirds lost more than £5000. The campaign is targeting late payers with a call for payments from the public sector within 10 days, and that sub-contractors either meet their payment obligations within the agreed time or lose future contracts. Although the FSB is already supporting small business, they acknowledge that more can be done by the government.

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