Confidence among Britain’s small businesses has plummeted, a survey showed on Friday, with Northern Irish and Scottish businesses the least confident in the face of a global economic slowdown and public-sector austerity.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) first-quarter survey showed the first decline in job creation by small firms nationwide since mid-2013.
Chancellor George Osborne gave tax breaks to small businesses in Wednesday’s budget after downgrading growth forecasts, but the outlook is clouded by an upcoming vote on whether Britain should remain a member of the European Union membership.
A separate FSB survey earlier this month found 42 percent of 4,000 members were undecided about how they would vote on the EU, and more than half felt they were not well-enough informed.
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Craig Erlam
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