Scottish firms ‘unconvinced by Yes and No camps’

The FSB say neither side of the independence debate has convinced its members. Picture: TSPL

Andy Willox, Scottish policy convener for the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said there was still a lot of detail to be worked out as the referendum approaches in September. “Small business owners, like other citizens, need to understand how institutions with which they must deal every day – and which, as taxpayers, they fund – will operate in the future. Both sides of the debate have a duty to get into the nitty-gritty,” he said in an end-of-year message.

“The FSB won’t be a bystander in this debate, nor will we get bounced around by political campaigns looking for someone else to make their case for them. We’ll ask be asking our members what sort of issues they want to see addressed before they decide where to put their cross.”

He said more small businesses were turning a profit, more were planning to invest and more preparing to hire.

“The signs are that we’re laying the foundations for a sustainable recovery,” he added. “FSB research shows that confidence is building and a range of economic indicators, from employment rates to GDP figures, are also heading in the right direction.

“But we are by no means out of the woods – the recovery isn’t uniform or guaranteed.”