The Labour Party Annual Conference 2023
Kanda Consulting and SME4Labour Reception: Celebrating Communities, Local Government and Businesses Working in Partnership for Development
🗓 Date: Tuesday, 10 October 2023
⏳ Time: 18:00
📍Location: SME4Labour POD (Meeting Room 22), ACC Liverpool, Kings Dock Street, Liverpool, England, L3 4FP
SME4Labour and Kanda Consulting Reception: Celebrating Communities, Local Government, and Businesses Working in Partnership for Development with Anneliese Dodds MP, Chair of The Labour Party; Chi Onwurah MP, Shadow Minister for Innovation & Science and Sarah Owen MP, Shadow Minister for Local Government & Faith.
Chi Onwurah underscored the symbiotic relationship between science, innovation, and economic growth. She stressed that supporting businesses and workers goes hand in hand, emphasizing that strong businesses lead to better employment prospects for working people. Onwurah championed the need for extensive collaboration between universities, small businesses, and communities, harnessing the potential of science, research, and technology to boost productivity and regional economies. Her message resonated with the broader aims of the Labour party, aiming to stimulate growth, provide skills, and cultivate vibrant regional economies like Liverpool and beyond, as part of the party’s vision for a prosperous future.
Sarah Owen emphasized the critical role of small businesses in fostering community growth. She acknowledged that small businesses have been at the forefront of supporting communities for years, even during challenging times. Owen pointed out that the last few years have been particularly tough for them, and she shared her post-pandemic initiatives to help businesses adapt to shifting consumer behaviours. While acknowledging the commonly touted idea that SMEs are the backbone of the British economy, she called for more comprehensive support from the government, emphasizing the potential for collaboration with a Labour government to strengthen small businesses and their contributions to community development.
Anneliese Dodds emphasized the Labour Party’s commitment to being both pro-worker and pro-business. She highlighted the need for collaboration with businesses across the nation to restore optimism and secure the country’s future. As the Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities, Dodds underlined her dedication to promoting equality in business. She pointed out that while small and medium-sized businesses contribute £85 billion to the economy, only 16% of small business employers are women. Additionally, only 6% of UK businesses are led by black, Asian, and ethnic minority individuals. Dodds called for tapping into this untapped potential to strengthen the economy, reduce economic growth, and foster dynamism.
