What Johnson, Corbyn and Swinson are pledging to contractors

Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn and Jo Swinson yesterday delivered their business pledges to the CBI ahead of general election 2019 on December 12th. The pledges, or comments, from the three party leaders which relate to contractors are below.

Prime minister and leader of the Conservative party Boris Johnson said:

“When people get up at the crack of dawn to get their business ready; when people take out a mortgage for a new venture; when people have the guts to put a new product on the market, we don’t sneer at them we cheer for them.”

Mr Johnson says his government will:

• Cut NICs “to make it easier to hire.”
• Double funding for R&D to £18billion
• Postpone further cuts to corporation tax (so under his government, CT will initially stay at 19%, not fall to 17% as originally scheduled)
• Keep Sajid Javid on as chancellor (if Mr Johnson remains as PM).

Leader of the opposition and leader of the Labour party Jeremy Corbyn said:

“It’s not anti-business to say that the largest corporations should pay their taxes just as smaller companies do.”

“Something I feel passionately about is much more support for very small start-up businesses where often people tread a lonely path of trying to set up a business they’ve dreamt of.”

Mr Corbyn says his government will:

• Tackle late payments for small businesses, whether those late payers are larger companies, government or local authorities.
• Ensure that no more “good companies” go to the wall, due to a lack of funding.
• Ask “those at the top to pay their fair share in tax” and “put an end to the tax tricks.”
• Reform the Apprenticeship Levy.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson said:

“We need shovel-ready projects. And we need the skills and the people to make them happen.”

“We are committed to helping small businesses, who are the engine of our economy.”

Ms Swinson says her government will:

• Change company law to reform fiduciary duty.
• Give every adult a new £10,000 ‘skills wallet.’
• Protect the European Social Fund, which actively supports young people through improving access and integration into employment and self-employment. [Source: Lib Dem 2019 manifesto]