Creating a business, building it up, making it a success - it is bloody hard work. There are no sick days, no paid holiday, no excuses. You are on call, 24/7/365. It's down to you. Sink or swim.
These are the people actually driving the economy, and they should be treated with far more respect.
Small business owners, and farmers, are THE backbone of Britain.
It's not just Labour, it was the same under the Tories. Record taxes, record incompetence - those taking the risks and generating the wealth are the ones treated with utter contempt by the establishment.
I've built countless businesses, I understand. I genuinely do. Not all of my risks have paid off, that's the nature of business! But we need to encourage people to try - that means making it worth the gamble. And it is a gamble!
There needs to be a fundamental reset of the relationship between the productive economy, and the bureaucratic monster state. Who works for who?
Who pays who's wage? All of these arrogant little men and women across public sector leadership, working from home with their comfortable salary and generous pensions. Many of whom, do quite frankly sod all. I want to know - where is the accountability? Who do they answer to?
Work with almost ANY part of the public sector - it's a joke. Long waits, massive delays, inept people. Nobody cares! They just don't care. There are good people, but they're drowned out by the overwhelming incompetence of their colleagues.
Ask anyone in business who has to deal with the public sector. You're more likely to talk to an out-of-office reply than an actual person. Don't even bother trying past 16.00 or on a Friday...
I find it so incredibly frustrating. The public sector should be there to serve and facilitate the private sector, not the reverse!
I am unashamedly pro-business, pro-success, pro-wealth creation. We must foster an environment where these principles are encouraged.
The state needs to back off - slash back its responsibilities, and focus on doing those things properly.
I am doing my best, along with my colleagues, to make these simple and obvious arguments in Parliament. Sadly, we are woefully outnumbered.