Election fever is in the air and the result will dictate the rules of engagement that businesses have to abide by in the next parliament. On Wednesday 18 March Chancellor George Osborne set out Conservative plans for the future with a promise to review business rates and boosts for the self employed, creative industries and farmers. Many announcements in the budget are on the proviso of a majority Conservative government, so with that in mind, does what George Osborne has in store for the future give the Conservative Party your vote on 7 May? Or do you believe one of the other parties holds the key to future business growth and prosperity?

One thing is for sure, whatever the outcome of the election at both national and local level, the morning of Friday 8 May will be business as usual for most. The day job will always need to be done, with no purdah or summer recess for businesses. It would be nice if the hard work of businesses in the Entrepreneurial Heart of Britain was recognised and supported with strong policies that create the right conditions for business growth.

As the end of this parliament draws near, it is a good time to reflect on what has been achieved by Buckinghamshire’s MPs on behalf of local businesses. They have often raised critical issues in the House of Commons and demonstrated their heartfelt support for local firms.

In the Commons recently Steve Baker, MP for Wycombe, called for a simplification of the national insurance process, questioned the Minister for Women on specific support provided for female entrepreneurs, and backed the need for meaningful work experience for young people. Steve has also been an important supporter of the Bucks Growth Deal bid to Whitehall which brought us an extra £53 million to fund infrastructure improvements in the County.

MP for Buckingham and the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, has always been supportive of local businesses, particularly within the High Performance Technology cluster at Silverstone and Space Propulsion at Westcott Venture Park. John also invited local food producers to Westminster for a showcase with Cheryl Gillan and David Lidington.

Cheryl Gillan, MP for Chesham and Amersham, has fought relentlessly for compensation for home owners affected by the HS2 project and has called for the link between public policy and business to be strengthened, praising the hard work of Buckinghamshire Business First in the House. She has been an active supporter of rural tourism development and recently supported what turned out to be a successful bid for LEADER grant funding, which will ensure millions of pounds flow in support of our rural businesses.

Rt Hon. Dominic Grieve QC, MP for Beaconsfield, called for a referendum on the HS2 project and has raised questions in the House of Commons over compensation packages for businesses and households affected. Dominic also has been a great supporter of the FSB ‘I support small business’ campaign.

David Lidington, MP for Aylesbury, has for some time highlighted the need to improve the quality of local employment opportunities throughout Bucks and North/South connectivity in the County. In his government role as Minister for Europe, David has been an advocate for Buckinghamshire businesses operating on the international stage. David also actively supported the launch of the ‘Going for Gold’ apprenticeship programme and lobbied hard in support of the successful LEADER bid.

Irrespective of the results of the General Election, Buckinghamshire’s businesses will expect their political representatives to fight hard for them when the need arises. Together as ‘Team Bucks’, the County’s businesses, MPs, local authorities and educational stakeholders have key roles to play in ensuring investment and support is secured from government to make sure that our economy continues to grow and thrive.

Did George Osborne’s Budget provide enough good news to sway your vote, or will you entrust the economy to another party? Get involved on the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Directors and Leaders LinkedIn page.