With 2009 drawing to a close, for our last Power of Ten of the year we asked you all what was on your business wish list for 2010. The replies poured in thick and fast. Dozens of you got in touch, and with a huge variety of responses.
Some ranted and raved, some sent in epic, unpublishable lists, and others picked out something important that might make the difference between success and failure in the year ahead. But one fact was unavoidable: come May, we will have major political change on our hands. And that’s true whatever the outcome at the polls.
The prolonged downturn we are living through has posed an unprecedented challenge to the current government, partly because of where it fell in the political cycle.
It wasn’t so long ago, remember, that there was talk of Gordon Brown calling a snap election to take advantage of the political honeymoon he was enjoying soon after taking over from Tony Blair.
By the time the recession arrived that moment already felt like ancient history, but it’s been the protracted nature of the downturn that has really stored up trouble.
All the extended efforts made to turn the economic corner, by the government and the Bank of England, mean that some unpalatable choices await whichever party is in power by May.
And for employers and employees, this new political reality will probably come at a price. As public sector debt mounts, next year looks sure to bring the twin burdens of tax rises and public sector cuts.
We are all hoping, of course, that the economic winds will have changed direction decisively before the government is obliged to do the dirty on us. There are even some strong signs that it might work out like that. One way or another, May 2010 still feels like a date with destiny.
And if you don’t fancy looking that far ahead just yet, there’s Christmas first. Have a good one.
Christian Annesley, editor
Also in: December 2009
-
Turning a corner
Job losses hit Gloucestershire hard this year, but there are signs the county’s economy and businesses are on the way back. Chloe Rigby reports.
-
Not-so-secret service
After 30 years in business and 18 months on from a management buyout, Bath IT services business IPL wants to shake off its ‘best kept secret in software’ tag. Christian Annesley met chief executive Shaun Davey.