I am a proud director of a British SME. I also have helped launch a new and growing LLP: www.adrgambassadors.com

So it’s touching to see that the Cabinet Office are Tweeting the fact that they have noticed this vital economic activity, albeit with a clumsy comma:

@cabinetofficeuk

Francis Maude: SMEs are a key driver for growth, in 2010 SMEs accounted for 50% of turnover in the UK economy #procurementbriefing

How, then, to explain the sneering tone of this letter to Ken Livingstone from Grant Shapps MP, Minister of State for Housing and Local Government?

Calling for regulation on ‘full time mayors’ whilst running a part-time company is as consistent as calling for a clampdown on tax dodging whilst using a company to avoid paying income tax

Yes, Ken’s arguments in favour of stopping Mayors or anyone else having more than one job are trivially absurd. But let’s not ignore the fact that Ken is running his own small business and contributing to the economy through it – he is a key driver for growth, a fact Mr Shapps might have wished generously to acknowledge.
Nor do I see why Mr Shapps obliquely accuses Mr Livingstone of avoiding paying income tax. The money in his company sits there having paid Corporation Tax. When Mr L takes it out to spend on his own private purposes, he pays Income Tax on it. Where’s the impropriety or hypocrisy in that?
Come on, Coalition. Do try to be consistent and encouraging to us humble SME folk, please.