Small businesses give thumbs-up to Tory cuts

SMALL businesses in Yorkshire have given their backing for Chancellor George Osborne's package of public spending cuts.

Nearly two-thirds of people surveyed said they did not believe that the Government was taking an irresponsible gamble with the economy.

Only a quarter said the planned fiscal consolidation was reckless, according to the poll carried out by the online networking group, the Yorkshire Mafia.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The view on the outlook for the economy was more evenly split however, with 35 per cent expecting a double-dip recession against 39 per cent believing that growth will continue.

Just over half of the 469 people who took part in the poll said they trusted Prime Minister David Cameron to see the country through the economic crisis.

A third said they did not trust the PM's abilities, while 19 per cent were unsure.

Geoff Shepherd, founder of online network, said: "The results of our survey are very telling. We are a region who stands by our values with hard work at the core of everything that we do.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"It is encouraging to see that despite difficult times and controversial announcements we are able to forge ahead with a positive outlook."

The Yorkshire Mafia was launched as a social networking group two years ago. It has 4,000 members, many from small businesses.

Mr Osborne has argued that the 81bn of savings were needed to avoid a Greek-style crisis where investor confidence collapsed and the cost of government borrowing soared.