smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

The prime minister’s enthusiasm for MPs to spend time in small businesses shouldn’t be giving would-be interns any sleepless nights.

David Cameron is urging politicians to gain valuable ‘work experience' in local small companies by taking part in the Business Buddy scheme, which aims to foster a greater understanding of small businesses among politicians by providing them with hands-on experience of day-to-day life at a firm in their constituency.

As much as it is tempting to imagine Osborne or Cable being forced into hours of menial admin as punishment for the painful lack of progress with regard to bank lending reform, there doesn’t seem much to gain for participating companies.

SME owners have enough of a job keeping the wolf from the door without having to waste time humouring gushing politicians who are likely to learn nothing more than how margins have been squeezed by a stagnant economy and spiralling business costs as well as government measures such as the VAT rise.

Cameron says that the coalition government is committed to making the coming decade ‘the most entrepreneurial and dynamic in Britain's history’.

‘To make this a reality, we need to understand the real issues that small businesses face on a day-to-day basis and use that information to help ensure that entrepreneurs are given every opportunity to successfully start and grow their businesses,’ he adds.

Hopefully those MPs who come to understand the common issue of business owners being unable to afford extra staff will see fit to pitch in with the dirty work rather than stand idly around spouting platitudes about small businesses being the engine-room of the economy.

Or maybe SME managers, many of whom work tirelessly for thin margins, could teach the MPs what constitutes a reasonable expenses claim.

It’s probably best not to be so harsh, since the scheme came into being following research that shows almost three quarters (74 per cent) of FPB members called on their elected representatives to focus on small businesses in their constituencies.

So the demand is there; let’s see what good comes of it.

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