Scottish business community facing decade of 'unprecedented' change - FSB

Scotland’s business community must come together if it to tackle the “unprecedented” change ushered in by a third decade of devolution, a prominent Scottish business leader today pleaded.

Andrew McRae of the Federation of Small Businesses. Picture: Contributed

In his festive message, Andrew McRae, Scotland policy chairman for the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said the coming decade was likely to see the pace of change accelerate.

“Over the last two decades, Scotland’s smaller firms have revealed their mettle,” McRae said. “They’ve adapted to a myriad of technological innovations, industrial upheavals and seismic political events.

“Our independent businesses continued to sustain jobs and local economies when a financial crisis pulled the rug from the real economy. As chunks of the public sector and big companies like the banks withdrew from the periphery, smaller firms – largely – remained. And, despite it all, we’ve seen the number of registered and unregistered Scottish firms steadily rise. In fact, there are now 100,000 more businesses north of the Border than when the Scottish Parliament reconvened.

“But for those business leaders looking for the next ten years to be more stable than the last 20, the tea-leaves aren’t promising.”

McRae argued that the “existential threat” of global climate change meant that “responsible governments” will be required to take action to slash carbon emissions – leading to “huge changes in how we work, live and do business”.

Mandate

He added: “The new UK government has a refreshed mandate to ensure the UK leaves the EU. While action can be taken to minimise the impact of this move, by for example giving firms the right support and enough time to adapt, this will inevitably lead to disruption. And there’s no doubt that the SNP’s overwhelming victory at the general election will reignite the debate about our own constitutional future.

“Scotland’s small businesses need to do what they can to prepare for this change. That will mean banding together with other businesses to ensure their voice is heard. It will mean planning ahead and taking action to mitigate any disorder.”

McRae said that, as a result, smaller businesses would need to draw on their capacity to be both “nimble and resilient”.

He rounded on politicians for increasing the burden of red tape and called for a swift resolution of the business rates system.

“At Holyrood we see an unhelpful move to change how the business rates system works – with serious consideration being given to proposals to remove relief from smaller firms and give sweeping new powers to the councils. MSPs need to understand that this is a threat that businesses don’t need.

Decision-makers need to understand that no matter their ambitions for the country, they’ll need the help of our business community to turn them into a reality.”