EXCLUSIVE: Lord Digby Jones - Surviving SMEs are the 'veterans of recession'
In part one of a two-part exclusive interview, Jon Wilcox speaks to Lord Digby Jones about the current economic climate for small businesses, and what the government should be doing to help the situation.
"If we're going to get out of this mess, we're going to need successful SMEs that's for sure," comments Lord Jones, former trade minister and director general of the Confederation of British Industry. "This country is only going to get itself out of this economic malaise if we trade our way out of it. If you ever analyse the first year out of a recession, it's always the small business sector that pulls the country out; it's the sector that starts to employ first; it's that grows wealth again first. The small business sector is key to economic recovery."
To read the rest of the article you'll need to log in below
If you've forgotten your details click here for a reminder.
If you haven't got an account, it's free to set up and only takes a minute,
click here to register


Battle will commence in the regional heats of our business competition The Pitch 2010 this summer. Do you have a new company good enough to impress the judges?
We're putting together a list of business owners' must-haves.