Contractors are once again represented in Parliament as a new All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Self-Employment and Freelancing is formed, chaired by contracting tsar David Morris MP.
“Following the series of attacks the contracting sector has suffered at the hands of the new Conservative Government since its election in May 2015, contractors could be forgiven for thinking that they have been abandoned by the UK’s supposedly pro-business party,” highlights ContractorCalculator Dave Chaplin.
“We can only hope that this new APPG, led by former small businessperson Morris, will both champion the cause of contracting and warn government against further attacks on the flexible workforce that can only damage the UK’s economic performance and global competitiveness.”
Morris, who was appointed as the UK’s first ‘self-employed ambassador’ on National Freelancers Day, 19 November 2014, notes: “The self-employed and freelancers make such a difference to the economy, so it’s important to give them a strong voice in Parliament. This new All Party Group will highlight the huge contribution these 4.5 million people make to the economy and will provide a platform for their views to be heard.”
According to Chris Bryce, chief executive of the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) that is backing the newly formed APPG, members of the new group must support Morris and “highlight the contribution freelance workers make to the UK economy and draw attention to the challenges they can face”.
“Freelancers and the self-employed are a crucial part of the UK economy and this new group will play a vital role in making sure they are represented and heard within Parliament,” says Bryce.
IPSE is backing the group with administrative support, which held its first meeting on 15 September 2015 during which members discussed the Group’s plan for the next 12 months, alongside the Government’s forthcoming review of self-employment.
“Having an All Party Group shows that politicians from across the political spectrum can get behind and support the self-employed,” concludes Bryce. “Our sector faces a number of significant challenges at the moment and the APPG will be a key forum for discussing solutions that work for the self-employed.”