Do our politicians truly care about the SME’s within the independent sector?

As we approach the election and we see a considerable amount of jockeying for position on the basis of “please vote for me”; once again we find Government departments, with the blessing of politicians, lining up to penalise our industry under the guise of controlling obesity.

Whether it’s the Scottish Parliament putting in place rules and regulations based around where impulse products and soft drinks can be merchandised through ill advised and outrageous proposals to our industry; or Westminster with a view towards a fat tax against products that they believe lead to obesity or are a contributory factor towards obesity.

I have said before, the greatest threat to the independent sector is not the march of the multiples but the incompetence of the Government applying rules and regulations against legitimate and legal products. At the same time they are taking away the freedom of choice from the general population, presumably on the basis that we are all incapable of making decisions for ourselves and, therefore, by conclusion we must assume that politicians and leaders in the Civil Service are far more informed, intelligent, capable, ethical and honourable than the rest of the UK population.

Thank God they are saving us! In reality I sincerely hope that during the election campaign, where they are forced to actually listen to the people they serve, they will start to understand the effect their ridiculous legislation is having on our society.