Despite what they’d have you believe, the Tories aren’t the voice of business

This week I resigned as a company director. The very successful company I have been involved in in various capacities over most of my adult life is being sold. The owner retiring to live off the proceeds of her success.

So this is a good time for me to reflect on business and Labour’s relationship with it, as I have been reflecting on what has worked over the years to make the business I was involved in such a success.

First of all, it is worth noting that there is no one entity called “business” nor does it speak with one voice – much though Tory HQ would have you believe it. I have worked in many different sectors and frankly, none conformed to stereotype. Private sector organisations who stifled innovation and public bodies who developed it. Sharp practices in organisations dedicated to stamping these out and accredited Living Wage employment in tiny privately run companies.

Business varies because people vary. No system of economic governance – be it Capitalism, Socialism or the varieties in between we usually end up with (for example, our current capitalist society which funds through taxation socialised education, healthcare, law enforcement and other struggling but still existing public services) will change that. Some people will take and some will give. Some are altruistic, some are selfish. Most of us are all of these things and many, many more. For Labour, the role of government in business is to encourage the conditions that ensure it thrives in such a way that the few don’t benefit at the expense of the many, but that we all flourish together as best we can.

For Tories, their unfounded and un-evidenced belief in trickledown economics and getting out of the way of business at all costs (to the public purse but equally to the dignity and rights of the workforce) remains their mantra. Regulation is wrong is their battle cry. The crash taught them nothing.

Labour’s position is more complicated and thus considerably harder to get in to a good sound bite for the news. But essentially the conditions for doing good businesses must be good for everyone. Ultimately the economy will thrive when we all do. It will suffer as many of do when the flows of money are unfairly restricted to a few hoarders at the top.

But equally Labour believe this is not a situation that can and should only be balanced out after it has happened. Redistribution alone will pay for the cost of doing business badly, but will not stop that happening. Intervening to change the way we do business. Incentivising social, economic and environmental goods and penalising the bad makes for a better and stronger economy. Using our capitalist system to invest in infrastructure – investment that brings with it huge returns both for the public and private sector as well as benefits all citizens can feel is good use of capital.

I was proud to be part of a company that invested in its workforce not just through paying fair wages and ensuring that the rewards of success were felt at every level, but also in investing strongly in training and development. Our workforce was stable because they were happy and felt a connection to the company.

So next time someone tells you that Tory Peers, advisors and donors are lauded as “THE VOICE OF BUSINESS” ask yourself if they represent your voice? As a consumer, as a service user, as one of the tax payers who bailed out our banks? Because, as a former company director, they sure as hell don’t represent me.