Federation of Small Businesses: Small UK firms split over EU
/Come the 23rd of June 2016, will we see the UK exit the world stage as a member of the EU?
A report published today surveying thousands of small businesses on their preference for staying in the European Union found that 47% of members would vote "yes" to stay in vs 41% to leave.
There were large geographical differences of opinion on EU question. Nearly 60% of Scottish firms would vote yes; firms in Wales and Northern Ireland were also more likely to take a positive view of the benefits of EU membership, more so than English voters.
Regionally, London Offices and the North East would be more likely to vote "yes" than companies in the East Midlands, for example.
A slim majority of firms - 50.5% of FSB members - said the UK's existing EU membership was good for the economy as a whole, as one cited the "bureaucracy, time, cost, hassle and effort" of leaving as a reason to remain.
However, only 34.9% thought it was good for their individual businesses.
Virtual Businesses based in London may face punitive trade barriers on leaving the EU.
In June ratings agency Moody's said that leaving the EU would negatively effect investment, worsening UK trade position and medium term growth, resulting in a "hollowing-out of export sector employment and capital" in the short term. Other firms just cited "Red Tape".
Overall, a large majority of Virtual Office based businesses in London felt they were not getting unbiased information from the airwaves.
Under 50% said they felt they had a full grasp about the potential effects on business and the UK economy of Brexit.
Words like "Red Tape" in particular would need to be defined further to bear any relevance to popular debate, or the sentience of the public as a whole.
