'Women in Business' Reception: Powering SMEs with Labour

Labour Champions Women Entrepreneurs at Inspiring Westminster Reception

On Tuesday 15th July, SME4Labour hosted a vibrant and packed 'Women in Business' Reception in the Jubilee Room, bringing together a dynamic crowd of entrepreneurs, business leaders, and Labour policymakers. The event provided a crucial platform to discuss how a Labour government can empower women entrepreneurs, drive SME growth, and unlock the full economic potential of female-led businesses in the UK.

The energy in the room was a testament to the passion and determination of the women who are shaping the future of British business. The evening was filled with insightful speeches, personal stories of triumph over adversity, and a clear, unified call for action.

We were honoured to be joined by an incredible lineup of speakers:

• The Rt Hon Anneliese Dodds MP, MP for Oxford East

• Feryal Clark MP, Minister for AI and Digital Government

• Sonia Kumar MP, MP for Dudley

• Becky Gittins MP, MP for Clwyd East (Host)

• Cllr Kemi Akinola, Deputy Leader of Wandsworth Council

• Rita Hendricusdottir, CEO & Co-founder of RegMetrics

• Nokuthula Katoongo, Founder of a culturally driven creative agency

• Hande Yaşargil, Founding Chair of the Women on Boards Association Turkey

Key Themes from the Evening

Labour's Commitment in Action

The speakers highlighted the tangible steps the Labour government is already taking. Cllr Kemi Akinola set the scene by listing a raft of supportive policies, including free breakfast clubs, a £250,000 investment in a women's task force fund, tackling late payments, and establishing workplace rights from day one. Anneliese Dodds MP reinforced this, speaking of Labour's work with the British Business Bank and the introduction of equality action plans to tackle the gender pay gap and support women in the workplace.

Confronting the Investment Gap

A recurring and powerful theme was the systemic disparity in funding for female entrepreneurs. Feryal Clark MP noted that in the tech world, companies owned by women struggle to attract venture capital. Sonia Kumar MP delivered a stark statistic: just 2p of every £1 of equity investment goes to female-led businesses. The situation is even more critical for minority entrepreneurs, as Nokuthula Katoongo revealed that Black female founders receive a staggering 0.02% of VC funding. The speakers praised initiatives like Innovate UK but were clear that a seismic shift is needed to level the playing field.

"Can you imagine the transformation? Can you imagine the kind of medicines, the technology that will come forward that looks at women's issues? It will be transformative." - Feryal Clark MP

The Power of Representation and Lived Experience

The personal stories shared were a powerful reminder of why representation matters. Sonia Kumar MP inspired the room with her journey as the daughter of a greengrocer to becoming the first woman and first ethnic minority MP for Dudley in two centuries. Her message was unequivocal:

"When people say to me that you can't do something, I will say that you can. You've got to believe in yourself and in your dream and your aspiration." - Sonia Kumar MP

Becky Gittins MP emphasised that having women "at the helm making those big decisions" is critical to progress, while Hande Yaşargil framed the issue as a global leadership imperative, stating, "a society that blocks half of its talent from the top, it's not just unjust, it's also strategically not wise."

A Unified Call to Action: Network, Lobby, and Push for More

Every speaker urged the attendees to connect, collaborate, and make their voices heard. Anneliese Dodds MP and Becky Gittins MP championed the power of networking to build support systems and mentorship. Sonia Kumar MP was direct in her advice: "Lobby your MPs... you ask for more and you lobby anybody and everybody you see."

This call was echoed by entrepreneurs on the front line. Rita Hendricusdottir, a tech founder, made a specific policy ask for the government to become a "first client" for UK-based tech solutions to help them scale. Nokuthula Katoongo argued that supporting Black-owned businesses isn't just about fairness, but about unlocking billions for the economy.

"It's no longer a conversation about fairness and representation, although that is important. It's economic growth." - Nokuthula Katoongo

The evening concluded with a powerful sentiment from Hande Yaşargil: "Making space for women to lead is not a favor. It's a step towards wiser, sustainable, and more ethical leadership for the future."

SME4Labour is proud to have hosted such a vital event and is committed to continuing the work of connecting entrepreneurs with the Labour Party to build a stronger, more equitable economy for all.