Better Late than Never - Sir Richard!

Speaking Out
At long last Sir Richard Lambert, retiring DG of the CBI, has found the courage to speak out against the Coalition Government’s failure to address the UK’s main growth engine - our Small & Medium Enterprises (SME’s).

Localism Agenda is ‘Damaging’
Criticising the ‘ConDem’s’ micro-policy decisions, like their ‘Localism’ agenda, as damaging to the economy, he also weighed in against Local Enterprise Partnerships and the Financial Services Authority who have just been given responsibility for Second Mortgages.

Make ‘Growth’ – the Guiding Priority
Urging the Government to make ‘Growth’ their ‘guiding priority’ for domestic policies, if they are really serious about restoring public finances and the profitable growth of SME’s, he sided with criticisms from the house-building sector that the planning system has been made more uncertain by the poor way that the introduction of the Localism Agenda has been handled.

Mortgages More Difficult
As outgoing Director General of the CBI he also considers that allowing the FSA to conduct the Mortgage Market Review as a mistake that will make mortgages harder to obtain.

Don’t Retire – Inspire
Having at last found his voice, rather than retiring to no doubt be cushioned by a more than comfortable pension, Sir Richard should take up the cudgels on behalf of SME’s – and particularly the house-building sector – and lead an urgent campaign to secure immediate action to allow funds to flow back into the economy through the pent up demand for private housing.

Press on the Accelerator
Growing up in the family firm, I recall my father’s complaints that Government always used construction, and housing in particular, as an ‘economic regulator’.

If they needed to slow things down they made it harder to build. To make it grow they encouraged housing development, along with the infrastructure needed.

Lack of Experience
Of course the Cameron-Clegg gang are all too young and/or inexperienced to have learned how to drive under these conditions. But they don’t need to use National funds to get things moving. As my old man also used to say, things can all be changed with “the stroke of a pen”.

No Cost Action
Come on David and Nick – if you can’t think of a way to get both land and cash flowing back through self-builders and home extensions, for example, talk to us. We’ll be pleased to share Daddy’s insights with you.