I was pleased to support and officially open the Sevenoaks Business Show today.
There are now 760,000 more business in the UK than there were five years ago. Since 2010, more than 2.2 million new jobs have been created. In the Sevenoaks area the number of unemployed persons has halved – from 1,074 in 2010 to 484 in March 2015. These are both remarkable achievements.
Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy and the driving force of the economic recovery. From cutting taxes to helping hire staff – the Government is backing small businesses and will always make sure that they get the support they need to start up and thrive.
We have some amazing businesses here in the Sevenoaks area. As MP and a Minister I have always been unashamedly pro-enterprise. That means promoting competition, opening up markets, and championing new firms. It’s something I’ve done whether in the Business Department scrapping red tape, or as an Energy Minister backing new suppliers. It is also what I am doing in the Ministry of Defence by opening up more government spending to SMEs.