MORE than 80% of Scottish business professionals believe that weeks of speculation and apparent U-turns on tax rises have had a negative effect on business confidence.
In the run-up to tomorrow’s Budget, more than 200 business professionals gathered in Glasgow last week to explore ways of maintaining and driving forward business momentum.
Questioned in a pre-Budget survey, a majority hit out at briefings carried out by the UK Government and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, and 83% said they felt that constant floating of tax raising initiatives had been harmful.
Around 16% felt that they had had no effect.
A significant minority – 33.33% of respondents – conceded that the Chancellor may have acted for reasons of political integrity, but the majority, 58.33%, felt it was driven by fear of the political effect.
The Scottish Growth Seminar, organised by leadership and training franchise Sales Geek Scotland, took place at Glasgow’s Hampden Park Stadium on Friday.
A significant minority – 33.33% of respondents – conceded that the Chancellor may have acted for reasons of political integrity, but the majority, 58%, felt it was driven by fear of the political effect.
Davie Sneddon, co-director of Sales Geek in Scotland, said: “The drip-feed of potential revenue-raising measures in an unusually long period leading up to the Financial Statement have clearly unsettled business people who ask for, and depend on, stable conditions.
“Business people are looking for inspiration on resilience and the growth mindset and Government policies designed to foster that would go a long way to alleviating current and ongoing concerns.”
Peter Barclay, co-director of Sales Geek in Scotland, added that during a “difficult period for business people and entrepreneurs”, it had been “heartening” to see business people gather.
“This year’s theme was Build Momentum: Growth Through Collaboration, and those attending were keen to explore ways of embedding a problem-solving, relationship-focused, results-driven sales culture into businesses up and down the country.
“The event is designed to provide insight, connection, and collaboration as well as focussing on the critical importance of sales to every commercial organisation and leading through change.”
