SME4Labour shows Labour is the 'party' of business with a Christmas cracker of an Awards Gala

On 12th December, SME4Labour ended its biggest year yet with their Annual Gala Dinner, where they were excited to announce the winners for their 6th Annual Labour Excellence Awards.

Over 1000 guests joined SME4Labour for the largest Labour gathering outside the Annual Labour Party Conference, including:

• Rt Hon David Lammy MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

• Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, Shadow Home Secretary

• David Evans, General Secretary of the Labour Party

• Many other Shadow Cabinet and front bench members

• Labour Peers and Members of Parliament

• Mayors and Council Leaders from across the country

Martin Angus was the glitzy host at the 6th Annual SME4Labour Gala and Labour Excellence Awards, held on Tuesday, 12th December near Westminster, sponsored by TikTok, Hercules Site Services, Enterprise Mobility, Bloom, Allica Bank, and many more business leaders who were in attendance.

We also raised over £6,000 for the better treatment of Glioblastoma in memory of Margaret McDonagh. Collective donations will go to a fund in Margaret’s name at The University College London Hospital.

The Gala is now firmly at the heart of the political calendar, ending the year on a high for the organisation founded to bring businesses and the Labour Party together. And there is no better way to do that in the Christmas season under one roof in central London.

As 2023 draws to a close with Labour nearly twenty percent ahead in the polls, and the Tory Party again turning in on itself, last night was an optimistic rallying cry for Labour and the premier opportunity for businesses—who are increasingly turning to Labour and their pro-business economic offer—to:

• Show their support

• Network

• Listen to excellent speakers

• Celebrate those who have excelled in connecting the Labour Party with small businesses this year

It was also a chance for the Labour family to say thank you and, through the Labour Excellence Awards, recognise some of the truly incredible work in 2023 undertaken by:

• Members of Parliament

• The Trade Unions

• Mayors, Councils, and Councillors

• Supporters and activists

• Businesses

• Scottish and Welsh Parliamentarians

Ibrahim Dogus, Chair of SME4Labour, said:

"We have so many brilliant MPs and candidates in the room and all we need to do is to support them in any way we can, so they win the next election.

When they win, small businesses win, freelancers win, microbusinesses win, the country wins!

When we set up SME4Labour six years ago, our mission was simple: to bring the voices of small, medium, owner, and family-run businesses to the heart of the Labour Party. I think we did well on that."

David Lammy MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs; highlighted future Labour Party's economical policies, on his address.

We also heard from speakers such as Lord Karan Bilimoria, Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, Shadow Home Secretary, David Evans, General Secretary of the Labour Party and many other Shadow Cabinet and front bench members alongside Labour Peers and Members of Parliament, Mayors and Council Leaders from across the country.

This Year's SME4Labour Labour Excellence Award Winners are:

• Shadow Cabinet Member of the Year:
  Rt. Hon. David Lammy MP – Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs

• Labour MP of the Year (Joint Winner):
  Bill Esterson MP – Shadow Minister for Business and Industrial Strategy and Shadow Minister for Transport
  Darren Jones MP – Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury

• Labour Trade Union of the Year:
  GMB Union

• Labour Council of the Year:
  Manchester City Council

• Labour Mayor of the Year:
  Dan Norris – Mayor of the West of England

• Labour Friends Group of the Year (Joint Winner):
  British Muslim Friends of Labour
  Labour Friends of the Forces

• SME of the Year:
  Arden Strategies and Kanda Consulting

• Labour Councillor of the Year:
  Cllr Claire Holland – Leader of Lambeth Council
  Cllr Leslie Ayoola – Nottingham City Councillor

• Labour London Assembly Member of the Year:
  Marina Ahmad AM for Lambeth and Southwark

• Labour Senedd Member of the Year:
  Rt. Hon. Mark Drakeford MS – First Minister of Wales

• Labour MSP of the Year:
  Anas Sarwar MSP – Leader of the Scottish Labour Party

• Labour CLP of the Year:
  Holborn and St Pancras CLP

• Labour Socialist Society of the Year:
  Labour Women's Network (LWN)

• Labour Peer of the Year:
  Rt. Hon. Lord David Blunkett

• SME4Labour Special Award:
  Sovereign Strategy