New figures have revealed that in 2010, there has been a 13% rise in the number of self employed people. It is not evident if this has been caused by the decline in the employment rate, but making use of the opportunity well, the Labour party has decided to hold a summit for self-employed workers. It is evident that this summit will please the Asian community to a great extend, who have one of the highest percentage of self employed people, mostly engaged in variety of businesses, amongst the ethnic communities.
In a report the Office for National Statistics have shown that every region in the UK has seen a rise in self-employment apart from Northern Ireland. The highest rises were in the North East (23 per cent), London (20 per cent) and East of England (16 per cent).
Labour has released the figures as Chuka Umunna MP and Rachel Reeves MP hold Labour's first ever summit on self-employment. The summit of self-employed workers and businesses will discuss how the next Labour government should support the entrepreneurialism of people who set up and build their own business.
Chuka Umunna MP, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, said: "In recent years we've seen a marked rise in people choosing to become their own boss, but at the same time self-employed people's incomes have been hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis. And all too often self-employed people are being held back and ignored by government and we've seen entire programmes put in place by ministers which fail to take their needs into account.
"That's why Labour has convened a summit on self-employment this week, putting self-employed people at the heart of our plans. Where the Tory-led government has failed, the next Labour government will stand squarely with Britain's wealth creators so they can meet their aspirations."
Rachel Reeves MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said: "Labour is on side of people who work hard and do the right thing but are being let down by David Cameron's government. Since 2010 millions of self-employed people have seen their living standards fall by 14 per cent and the government has failed to give them the support they need. Labour wants to break down the barriers which millions of self-employed people face when they are try to apply for a mortgage or save for a pension. We're holding this summit to ensure the next Labour government does everything it can to help self-employed people to succeed."
