SNP slays rivals in business battle

The SNP today claimed they were winning the business argument after a panel of top, politically neutral, entrepreneurs gave their backing to SNP plans for Scotland.

The entrepreneurs were taking part in a Dragon's Den-type event for the Festival of Politics. They listened to pitches from representatives of all the main parties, including the SNP's shadow enterprise minister Jim Mather, and then voted for the party they thought would provide the best business environment for investment.

The entrepreneurs - Tony Singh, the founder of the Oloroso and Roti restaurants, Amanda Boyle, co-founder of Caledonia Contracts, Rachel Elnaugh, star of the BBC's Dragon's Den, and Chris Gorman, mentor on Channel 4's Make Me a Million programme - liked the SNP's vision for a low-business tax economy, using oil revenues to invest for the future.

Following yesterday's victory, Mr Mather pledged to take the format across Scotland to allow other businessmen and women to hear the arguments.

Mr Mather hailed the victory as a signal that there is a desire for change in Scotland and that the SNP's plans for government next year with Alex Salmond as First Minister are an appealing prospect for many people in a business community that is tired of the failed and mediocre record of the current Labour and LibDem administration.
The result was an overwhelming victory for the SNP's Jim Mather, who gain support from all the Dragons and the overwhelming backing of an audience of Scottish business people. Mr Mather now aims to see the exercise replicated across Scotland and will be writing to Chambers of Commerce and local Federation of Small Business branches suggesting a similar format be established so the debate about Scotland's economic future can be taken all round the country.
Mr Mather said:

"This victory was a humbling experience but also an uplifting one. It simply proves that when people engage with the arguments and evaluate all the options that Scotland has most of them opt for the SNP strategy.
"Increasingly people now see that the SNP's plans to galvanise Scotland and boost living standards are compelling, contagious and necessary."

"At last, we seem to have a widespread recognition that the people of Scotland could be much more prosperous, if we were to emulate just some of the simple steps taken by Ireland and Norway and the crucial step of national self-determination."

"I will now be contacting Scottish Chambers of Commerce and local organisers for the Federation of Small Businesses suggesting that this new format is an excellent and entertaining way to engage with the local business communities."

"Yesterday's comprehensive victory just adds further to the SNP's momentum with the 2007 elections a straight choice between Alex Salmond's SNP and Jack McConnell's Labour party."

Notes:

• The Scottish Dragons were Rachel Elnaugh, founder of Red Letter Days, Dundee business woman Amanda Boyle, entrepreneur Chris Gorman OBE, and Edinburgh chef and restaurant owner Tony Singh.
  
• The Scottish Dragons voted:
  SNP - 4; Labour - 0; Tory - 0; LibDem - 0; Greens - 0
  
• A straw poll of the packed audience also suggested over three quarters support in favour of Jim Mather's arguments.
  

Read news articles of Jim Mather's success here:
SNP slays rivals in business battle - Scotsman, August 24 2006
It's Scotland's oil' does the business for the Dragons' Den team - Herald, August 24 2006