Is Andy Burnham really on the side of Britain’s founders?

The Prime Minister talks enthusiastically about growth, but business owners are still waiting for proof that he truly understands what it takes to build a company from scratch.

Pro-business or pro-state? Founders are still waiting for an answer

Ministers speak warmly about investment, skills and infrastructure, but entrepreneurs want to know whether anyone in government is genuinely on their side.

Andy Burnham sounds pro-business. The question thousands of founders are asking is whether he is genuinely pro-founder.

The distinction matters. Supporting large infrastructure projects, investing in regional growth and backing industrial strategy may all be good for the economy, but they are not necessarily good for the millions of people who take risks, create jobs and build businesses from the ground up.

The new Prime Minister clearly believes in a stronger partnership between the state and the private sector. He talks about skills, transport, manufacturing, energy and regional investment. That may help large employers and established companies, but many founders are still wondering where they fit into the picture.

Small and micro-business owners want something much simpler. They want to be paid on time. They want lower administrative burdens, fewer regulatory obstacles and tax policies that encourage people to take risks, employ staff and invest for the future.

For now, many founders remain unconvinced. Andy Burnham may be pro-business, but he has yet to prove that he is truly pro-founder. The difference between the two could determine whether Britain's entrepreneurs flourish or simply struggle on.

Business founders are asking whether or not Andy Burnham is a pro-business founder PM.

I’m waiting to find out.

Liz Barclay

Andy Burnham sounds pro‑business in principle, but its conditional and state‑shaped in practice, leading founders to ask whether he’s pro-founders.

He supports business when it aligns with his economic model of regional growth, industrial strategy, skills, infrastructure, and “good work”. Founders are concerned about whether he’s pro‑entrepreneurial, pro‑small and micro business, or pro‑risk‑taking in the way the UK’s small business economy needs, and needs to support.

The PM isn’t sounding not anti‑business, but he is not a de-regulatory, pro‑market PM either. He is pro‑state‑partnership. He does support (the pro‑business elements) regional economic growth. His belief is that Britain’s economy is held back by being London focused. He champions devolved powers, regional investment zones and local industrial strategies. With transport and infrastructure upgrades this is pro‑place rather than pro‑enterprise. He needs to be supportive of founders and supporting of entrepreneurial spirit to get the rest to work well.

The PM is keen on manufacturing, construction, energy, life sciences, digital infrastructure and green industries which is good for mid‑sized firms and supply chains, but applies less directly to microbusinesses and founders.

He seems genuinely committed to technical education, apprenticeships and regional skills and to getting young people into work and giving them opportunities. This is important for the future of the labour force and is pro‑business in the long term, but will take a while to show up in the stats and in the economy. Small businesses need to be able to afford to take on people now.

Andy Burnham’s government is deliberately avoiding (so far) sudden tax changes and regulatory shocks. Volatility is a dampener on business confidence. This is pro‑business in a big-picture sense. Small businesses and founders need stability and tax help.

Founders are worried about the gaps

We have a Small Business Minister and Late Payment legislation is moving through Parliament. Keir Starmer launched a Small Business Strategy covering access to finance, procurement, skills, digital adoption, exporting. That’s all positive but founders need to be paid fairly and on time now and the strategy has start delivering soon. Having the structures is not the same as delivering outcomes and founders want to see action.

Founders aren’t feeling an impact yet, and don’t have a feel for how committed the new PM is to issues addressed by the previous PM.  Founders judge governments on speed, delivery and lived experience, and speed has always been a problem for the small business sector. Many businesses go under while still waiting for small and micro friendly policies.  

The Small Business Strategy is broad and not founder‑specific

It’s pro‑small business, pro‑regional business, pro‑industrial supply chain, pro‑skills, pro‑procurement but founders are still asking where the founder‑first agenda is

They want pro-founder policies like tax simplification, NIC relief, reduced admin burden and policies that make it easier rather than more difficult to hire people to help grow their businesses.

Founders have seen decades of late payment promises with multiple consultations and weak enforcement. Even with legislation progressing, they want to know that there will be enforcement and behaviour of their bigger customers will change.

Andy Burnham’s economic model is still state‑shaped, not founder‑shaped and that may be pro-business but it’s not specifically saying it’s pro-entrepreneurial and there’s a difference.

Small and microbusinesses still face rising costs and the increasing burden of admin as the try to comply with the load of regulations. That’s all too much when you have a small team or perhaps a single person business. Alongside all the rising costs there’s still a feeling that Government doesn’t understand what it takes to set up and run a

Until something big lands, founders will continue to question whether Burnham is truly on their side. Burnham is pro‑small business, pro‑industry, pro‑regional growth, pro‑infrastructure, pro‑skills, but not yet clearly pro‑founder. The gap is not just in the policy writing. It’s in execution, speed, and founder‑specific outcomes.