On 22 June 2026, I had the privilege of addressing more than 700 guests at the 9th Annual SME4Labour Gala Dinner in London. The audience brought together small and medium-sized business owners, entrepreneurs, trade union representatives, Members of Parliament, councillors and community leaders who all shared one belief: that Britain can be stronger, fairer and more prosperous.

Earlier that same day, Sir Keir Starmer announced his decision to step down as Leader of the Labour Party and as Prime Minister. Exactly one month later, Andy Burnham became Labour leader and Prime Minister, opening a new chapter for our party and our country.

Looking back just one month later, what strikes me most is not simply how quickly politics moved, but how relevant the themes discussed that evening have become.

Opportunity.

Enterprise.

Optimism.

Partnership between business and workers.

A belief that prosperity should be shared more fairly and that growth should reach every town, city and community across Britain.

These are not simply political aspirations.

They are the foundations of a successful country.

One line from my speech has stayed with me ever since:

"Talent is everywhere. Potential is everywhere. But opportunity is not always evenly distributed. Our responsibility is to help change that."

It was encouraging to hear Prime Minister Andy Burnham speak about similar principles in the weeks that followed. The belief that where someone is born should never determine how far they can go has always been one of the Labour movement's greatest strengths. It should also become one of the defining principles of this new chapter in government.

For almost a decade, SME4Labour has sought to champion that belief.

We were founded with a simple purpose: to provide a voice for small and medium-sized business owners and entrepreneurs who support Labour values, while building stronger relationships between business, policymakers and the wider Labour movement.

From the beginning we rejected the false choice between economic growth and social justice.

Britain needs both.

Prosperity without fairness leaves people behind.

Fairness without growth cannot be sustained.

The two belong together.

Over the past nine years, SME4Labour has grown into one of Labour's largest independent Labour supporters' business organisations. Every year we engage with thousands of businesses, organise events across the United Kingdom and, at Labour Party Conference alone, host around forty events bringing together ministers, parliamentarians, councillors, business leaders, trade union representatives and entrepreneurs to discuss Britain's future.

But our success has never been measured by the number of events we organise.

It has always been measured by the relationships we build.

Our mission has remained remarkably simple.

To build bridges.

Between business and politics.

Between employers and workers.

Between enterprise and social justice.

That mission feels every bit as relevant today as it did when we first began.

Opportunity Changed My Life

As someone who arrived in Britain as part of a refugee family with little more than hope, I understand personally what opportunity can achieve.

Britain gave me opportunity.

Labour gave me purpose.

Business gave me independence.

Those opportunities enabled me to build businesses, raise a family and later serve my community as a Labour councillor.

Everything I have tried to achieve through SME4Labour has been shaped by that journey.

Because I know that talent exists in every community.

The challenge is ensuring that opportunity exists there too.

Every child deserves the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

Every entrepreneur deserves the opportunity to build a successful business.

Every worker deserves the opportunity to learn new skills, earn a decent living and build a better future.

Opportunity should never depend on your postcode, your background or the circumstances into which you were born.

That is why I continue to believe that Britain's greatest natural resource is not what lies beneath our soil.

It is the talent, creativity, determination and resilience of our people.

That is Britain's greatest competitive advantage.

Our responsibility is to unlock it.

Why Small Businesses Matter

One of the most effective ways to unlock that potential is by backing small and medium-sized businesses.

Too often political debate focuses almost exclusively on the largest corporations.

Yet Britain's economic success has always depended upon thousands of independent businesses quietly creating jobs, investing in communities and taking risks every single day.

SMEs account for the overwhelming majority of businesses across Britain.

They employ millions of people.

They train apprentices.

They regenerate our high streets.

They support local charities.

They sponsor grassroots sport.

They create opportunities in every town, city and village.

When politicians talk about economic growth, they should remember that growth usually begins with one entrepreneur opening the door to a small business.

That first employee.

That first investment.

That first customer.

Those small beginnings become successful businesses that transform communities.

At a time when Britain is searching for sustainable long-term growth, there is no credible economic strategy that overlooks small businesses.

Yet we know the challenges they continue to face.

Rising costs.

Skills shortages.

Access to finance.

Economic uncertainty.

Increasing pressure on employers.

Many business owners have experienced some of the most difficult trading conditions in decades.

Yet they continue to invest.

They continue to innovate.

They continue to employ people.

They continue to believe in Britain's future.

Every new business creates more than economic activity.

It creates confidence.

It creates hope.

It creates opportunity.

Every new job changes a life.

Every thriving high street strengthens a community.

Supporting enterprise is therefore not simply good economics.

It is good social policy.

Business and Workers Succeed Together

Equally important is the relationship between business and organised labour.

For too long, politics has presented employers and workers as though they sit on opposite sides of the table.

I have never accepted that argument.

Successful businesses need skilled, motivated and valued employees.

Workers need successful businesses that can invest, grow and create secure employment.

When employers and employees succeed together, Britain succeeds.

That philosophy has always shaped SME4Labour's work.

Strong businesses create secure employment.

Well-trained employees help businesses grow.

Growing businesses create new investment.

New investment creates better jobs.

Better jobs strengthen communities.

Communities create stronger local economies.

That virtuous circle benefits everyone.

Economic growth and social justice are not competing ambitions.

They reinforce one another.

That is why partnership—not conflict—must remain at the heart of Britain's economic future.

Politics Still Matters

The Makerfield campaign reminded us of something profoundly important.

Politics still matters.

Communities still matter.

Hope still matters.

Hundreds of volunteers travelled from across Britain because they believed they could make a difference. They gave up evenings, weekends and valuable time with their families because they believed in something bigger than themselves.

Their efforts demonstrated once again that when Labour is united, organised and rooted in the communities it seeks to serve, there is no limit to what can be achieved.

Makerfield was about much more than winning a parliamentary seat.

It reminded us that people still respond to optimism.

They still respond to authenticity.

They still respond to leaders who understand their lives and share their aspirations.

Politics is at its strongest when it gives people hope.

Ideas Matter

That same belief inspired the creation of Labour Home.

Healthy political movements should never become echo chambers.

Ideas matter.

Debate matters.

Participation matters.

The future of our movement should not be shaped by only a handful of voices.

It should be shaped by members, councillors, parliamentarians, trade unionists, entrepreneurs, campaigners, community leaders and ordinary people with something valuable to contribute.

Labour Home was created to provide a platform for those voices.

A place where ideas can be exchanged respectfully.

Where new policies can be explored.

Where experience from businesses, local government, Parliament and communities can inform better decision-making.

Because the strongest movements are always those prepared to listen, learn and evolve.

Spreading Opportunity Across Britain

If opportunity is not evenly distributed, then neither should power remain concentrated.

One of Andy Burnham's defining achievements as Mayor of Greater Manchester has been demonstrating what can happen when decisions are taken closer to the people they affect.

Devolution is not simply about changing structures of government.

It is about trusting communities.

It is about recognising that local leaders often understand local challenges better than Whitehall.

It is about giving towns, cities and regions the tools they need to shape their own future.

When power is shared more fairly, opportunity can also be shared more fairly.

That should be one of Britain's defining ambitions over the coming years.

Turning Opportunity into Prosperity

If we are serious about spreading opportunity, we must also be prepared to rethink some of the policies that shape our economy.

For many high street businesses, the current business rates system no longer reflects the realities of modern commerce. A fixed property-based tax places a disproportionate burden on independent retailers, cafés, restaurants, pubs and other local businesses regardless of how they are performing.

It is time to begin a serious national conversation about replacing business rates with a fairer system based on a business's ability to pay, whether linked to turnover, profitability or another more equitable approach.

The hospitality sector also deserves renewed attention.

Hospitality is one of Britain's largest employers.

It provides opportunities for young people entering the workforce, apprentices developing new skills and thousands of family-owned businesses serving communities across the country.

A temporary reduction in VAT for hospitality—from 20 per cent to 10 per cent—could help lower prices for consumers, stimulate demand, encourage investment, protect jobs and support high streets while many families continue to feel the pressure of the cost-of-living crisis.

Government should also remain mindful of the cumulative impact of additional costs placed on businesses and working people.

Where new legislation or regulation would significantly increase costs for employers or households, there is a strong case for considering whether implementation should be phased or delayed until economic growth has strengthened, inflation has eased and working people are once again seeing meaningful improvements in their disposable incomes.

That is not about abandoning important reforms.

It is about ensuring that reforms are introduced at a time when businesses and families are best placed to absorb them without slowing growth or reducing employment.

Alongside these reforms, I believe every significant piece of economic legislation should be subject to a Small Business Test, requiring government to assess its likely impact on small and medium-sized businesses before it becomes law.

SMEs are the backbone of our economy.

Their voice should be considered from the very beginning of policymaking—not as an afterthought.

Economic growth and rising living standards should never be viewed as competing objectives.

They reinforce one another.

As businesses become more confident to invest, innovate and recruit, workers benefit through better wages, greater job security and stronger opportunities.

That virtuous circle should sit at the heart of Britain's economic strategy.

Looking Ahead With Optimism

We continue to live through uncertain times.

Across the world we see conflict, instability and division.

Many families remain anxious about the future.

Many businesses continue to face significant pressures.

Yet I remain optimistic.

I remain optimistic because every week I meet remarkable people.

Entrepreneurs investing despite uncertainty.

Workers determined to improve their skills.

Young people full of ambition.

Campaigners who continue giving their time to causes they believe in.

Communities prepared to support one another whenever they are needed.

They remind me that politics can still be a force for good.

They remind me that Britain can become stronger, fairer and more prosperous.

Most importantly, they remind me that optimism is not naïve.

It is necessary.

The story of Britain has always been written by people who refused to accept that tomorrow must look exactly like yesterday.

The entrepreneur who starts a business.

The apprentice learning a new skill.

The volunteer giving up a weekend.

The campaigner knocking on one more door.

The neighbour helping another neighbour.

These are the people who build our country.

As Labour begins a new chapter under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, I believe the challenge before us is clear.

Britain does not lack talent.

It does not lack ambition.

It does not lack ideas.

What has too often been lacking is the fair distribution of opportunity.

If we are serious about building a stronger economy, we must ensure that opportunity is no longer determined by postcode, background or circumstance.

We must back enterprise in every community.

We must spread growth beyond Westminster.

We must create the conditions in which businesses have the confidence to invest, recruit and grow.

We must give every young person the chance to fulfil their potential.

We must ensure every worker has the opportunity to progress.

We must ensure every entrepreneur has the confidence to invest.

That is the Britain I believe in.

That is the Britain I spoke about on 22 June.

And that is the Britain I hope we now have the opportunity to build together.