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25 billion to help small businesses - 10/4/2008 4:44:30 PM

LadyEllen

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http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page17087

Our glorious leader (praise be upon him) has agreed a 25 billion package to help small businesses through the current crisis!

Does anyone have any idea (as a small business owner and employer of 5 people) I apply for some?

Or is this another case of "unfortunately you dont qualify" (does anyone?) and "jobs for the boys" in deciding that?

E

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RE: 25 billion to help small businesses - 10/4/2008 4:54:58 PM

TheHeretic

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Sorry, LadyE, but if your government give-away types are anything like ours, that money will be reserved for the poor competitors you have been beating in the market. You have a Jag now, you are the enemy. Didn't the salesman mention that?

* And I will now stop referencing your new car. Send me a pic, though? I've always liked those.

< Message edited by TheHeretic -- 10/4/2008 4:56:50 PM >

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RE: 25 billion to help small businesses - 10/4/2008 5:28:14 PM

Raechard

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You only qualify as being a small business if your company uses Microsoft Office Small Business Edition that is my thoughts on how this wise government of ours will make the decision.

Just like with the road tax you have to drive one of them golf carts or one of those pavement scooters, old people use, to get a reduction.

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RE: 25 billion to help small businesses - 10/5/2008 2:15:09 AM

meatcleaver

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This money will never find its way down to any small businesses or at least, very few.

Years ago, thanks to the ravages of the Thatcher years, where I lived there was a government development grant allocated to new small businesses. I was contacted by the qango (quasi-government organisation) in charge of allocating the grant. It turned out that there were so many strings attached to the grant I would have to spend my business money on things I didn't want in order to get the extra money so I declined. By the time I got to that point I had struck up a relationship with the agent and he told me that 95% of the 100 million pounds that had been allocated to our area had been spent on bureaucracy as it passed through one government department to a qango to the final agent another and eventually down to the people it was meant for. I didn't fail to notice the agent that wanted me in the deal (they got commission for allocating money) drove a top of the range Rover Sport.

Despite my siocialist leanings, I don't believe in grants for capitalist ventures. There should be rewards for success, success should pay its fair share to the community that allowed that success to happen. Government money should help society as a whole and the needy, not people who gamble on a business, they will get their reward if the business succeeds. Bureaucracy is the last thing we need to spend money on. Apart from that, most bureaucrats who feed off this money are conservatives which is a good reason not to have this money in the first place.

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RE: 25 billion to help small businesses - 10/5/2008 6:16:18 AM

LadyEllen

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So much pessimism, born out of the experience of previous such announcements.

Its always made me wonder in the past, when he and others have mentioned "help for small businesses" - what exactly that meant, because my experience is there is no help available whatever.

I remember contacting the local Chamber Of Commerce to check out what was available. Once they'd comprehended the notion that my business idea didnt have any connection whatever with carpets (the area is renowned - or was - for carpet manufacture) I learned that what was available was very basic introduction courses on starting a business.

What was notable to me about this was that to get a place on a course I would have to come up with several hundred pounds in payment - money that in starting a business might be very important to its establishment - to be told stuff that if I didnt know it already I had no business whatever in considering setting up a business.

And I also recall my friend's experience during his recent period of unemployment. This guy is a qualified engineer, a qualified armourer and very capable - though of course in our brave new world modern economy such skills are pretty much not in demand. So, he thought he might train to be a gas fitter - great idea, good money and career prospects and what with all the retraining help the government talks of, a sure fire way back to employment.

So he went to the DSS to talk it through and what help was available for retraining. The answer was "absolutely none" - in fact if he went on the retaining course he wouldnt even be entitled to benefits since he'd be unavailable for work. So, from having the impression that he might get help, he was informed that he would have to come up with several thousand pounds for the course and several thousand to cover his expenses whilst training.

And politicians wonder why we're all just a little bit cynical

E

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