The Labour Party Annual Conference 2025

SME4Labour and Barclays Bank breakfast session: BUILDING SME CONFIDENCE TO INVEST FOR GROWTH

Speakers:

• Dan Tomlinson MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury
• Matt Hammerstein, CEO, UK Corporate Bank and Head of Public Policy & Corporate Responsibility
• Sonia Kumar MP, MP for Dudley

Chair:  Ibrahim Dogus, Chair, SME4labour

SME4Labour, in partnership with Barclays Bank, hosted a breakfast session at the Labour Conference in Liverpool, focusing on Building SME Confidence to Invest for Growth. The event brought together policymakers, business leaders, and SME representatives to explore the challenges and opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK.

Opening the session, Ibrahim Dogus highlighted the critical role SMEs play in the UK economy, accounting for 60% of employment and over half of national turnover. He noted that despite their significance, investment levels in SMEs lag behind those of larger businesses, representing a £60 billion annual opportunity for economic growth.

Dan Tomlinson MP emphasised the importance of stable macroeconomic policies, reduced borrowing costs, and strategic fiscal planning to unlock SME growth. He outlined measures in public sector investment, reform, and tax incentives to foster a business-friendly environment and enhance confidence for longer-term investment.

Matt Hammerstein reinforced the need for SMEs to access finance and adopt innovation. Highlighting Barclays’ research, he pointed out that while business investment is rising overall, smaller businesses remain cautious. Building confidence through clear, accessible support—ranging from financial tools to digital literacy and workforce planning—was presented as essential for unlocking growth.

Sonia Kumar MP stressed the importance of ensuring these policies reach businesses outside London, highlighting practical support, outreach, and trust-building as key to empowering SMEs in regional communities.

The discussion covered foundational barriers to investment, competitive pressures, and the need for targeted support for underrepresented entrepreneurs. Attendees left with actionable insights on bridging gaps in finance, digital skills, and workforce development, emphasising that when SMEs thrive, the UK economy as a whole prospers.

Bios:

Ibrahim Dogus

Founder of SME4Labour, a successful entrepreneur who built a family of restaurant businesses in London. Dogus is a dedicated Labour Party activist and a councillor in the London Borough of Lambeth, bringing a unique blend of frontline business experience and political engagement. He also founded the British Kebab Awards and the Centre for Turkey Studies.

Matt Hammerstein

CEO of UK Corporate Bank and Head of Public Policy & Corporate Responsibility at Barclays. A veteran executive with the bank since 2004, his dual role places him at the intersection of commercial lending and strategic policy engagement with government and regulators. He previously served as CEO for Barclays Bank UK.

Luke Charters MP

Luke Charters is the Labour Member of Parliament for York Outer. 

Before his election to Parliament, Luke had a distinguished career in financial services. He began at the Bank of England, contributing to payments infrastructure projects and the polymer banknotes programme, before moving to the Financial Conduct Authority, focusing on fraud prevention. Subsequently, he led the Fraud and Compliance department at the global fintech company Remote. 

Since entering Parliament, Luke has concentrated on financial services, convening debates on fraud and economic crime. He serves as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Financial Technology (FinTech) and on the Public Accounts Committee. 

Sonia Kumar MP

Elected as the Labour MP for Dudley in 2024. Before entering Parliament, she was an NHS physiotherapist. Born into a family that owned a small shop, she brings a direct, real-world perspective on the challenges and realities facing small family businesses.

Beena Sherma

Beena is the CEO and Co-Founder of CCU International. CCU International provide next generation carbon capture technology for industry emitters. Beena is recognised as a global expert on the topic of carbon capture and utilisation and speaks at conferences and events globally on CCUS, net zero, and clean/climate technology.