Frontrunner To Be New Prime Minister Urged To Reveal What She Would Do For The Self-Employed

Posted by Liz Seyi on December 31st, 2022

The candidate in the Conservative Party leadership race who is most fancied to win – Liz Truss – has been encouraged to come up with a plan to help revitalise self-employment in the UK. 

Writing for smallbusiness.co.uk, Andy Chamberlain – director of policy at the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) – said there was a need for Ms Truss to set out what she would do for what he described as “one of the most innovative and dynamic parts of the UK economy: the self-employed.” 

“We need less talk and more action” 

In an intervention that will doubtless be of interest to many clients of our own accountancy for contractors in Plymouth, Newton Abbot, and Wellington, Mr Chamberlain said that while “we already have a sense of what a Truss-led government would prioritise”, the bookies’ favourite in the party leadership contest hadn’t yet outlined precisely how she would help self-employed people. 

Across her speeches, interviews, and debates so far, the foreign secretary has emphasised the need to reduce taxes and maintain a tough stance towards Russia as its invasion of Ukraine continues. These stated priorities look likely to be acted upon by Ms Truss if she does become Prime Minister. 

As for the self-employed sector specifically, Ms Truss hasn’t yet made much comment, although Mr Chamberlain observed that she “talked briefly – though encouragingly – about tackling treasury orthodoxy and helping freelancers” during recent Conservative Party hustings in Wales. 

He commented: “While I and many others have welcomed her support for the self-employed during the hustings, we shouldn’t get our hopes up just yet. Freelancing has been shaken to its core over the past two years, and we need less talk, and more action. 

“In other words, if Truss is going to get the support of thousands of self-employed workers, then she needs to show that she will follow through on her campaign promises.” 

Hopes that Ms Truss could address IR35 and clarify employment status rules 

Mr Chamberlain said that IPSE believed there was a need for Ms Truss to unveil a plan to “revitalise a sector that contributes £303bn to the UK economy and provides businesses across the country with innovation, entrepreneurism and dynamism – skills that are paramount to the success of any company.” 

Her actions to help the self-employed, he said, needed to include tackling the “flawed reform” of IR35 that he said had “devastated self-employed workers and created mass uncertainty and confusion for hirers and contractors alike.” 

He added that Ms Truss also needed to “demonstrate that she is prepared to grasp the nettle on tricky issues like clarifying employment status rules – something which the government had been committed to doing for four years until it decided to not to two weeks ago.” 

Whoever does ultimately stride into 10 Downing Street once the Conservative Party leadership contest concludes in early September – and Ms Truss still has former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak to beat – they will doubtless have major challenges on their hands across many fronts. 

Contact our own experts today about our accountancy for contractors in Plymouth, Wellington, or Newton Abbot, and we can help you rise to the tests likely to be looming in your own professional life in the weeks, months, and years to come.