Tory MP: Government should give fund managers £15bn to invest in SMEs

Recovery Fund mooted to drive sector growth

clock • 3 min read

Conservative MP and former employee of HSBC Bim Afolami has called on the Treasury to establish a 'Recovery Fund' of £15bn, which would be allocated to FCA-regulated fund managers to invest in the shares of small- and medium-sized businesses in efforts to deliver "transformative growth after Covid-19".

The MP for Hitchin and Harpenden, who previously backed calls for post-Brexit deregulation of the City, said in a report published today (16 June) that the shares purchased by the UK Government could be sold back to the public at a later date with discounted shares offered "to lower-paid NHS workers and young people". Writing on behalf of Westminster think-tank, the Social Market Foundation, Afolami is expected to float the plan in the House of Commons later today. The report, Unlocking Britain, suggests that the £15bn would be borrowed via gilt issuance and be invested via the govern...

To continue reading this article...

Join Investment Week for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, analysis and opinion from the investment industry, including the Sustainable Hub covering fund news from the ESG space
  • Get ahead of regulatory and technological changes affecting fund management
  • Important and breaking news stories selected by the editors delivered straight to your inbox each day
  • Weekly members-only newsletter with exclusive opinion pieces from leading industry experts
  • Be the first to hear about our extensive events schedule and awards programmes

Join now

 

Already an Investment Week
member?

Login

More on Equities

Partner Insight: Attractive yields but narrow spreads - The credit dilemma

Partner Insight: Attractive yields but narrow spreads - The credit dilemma

Arif Husain, Head of International Fixed Income and Chief Investment Officer, Fixed Income at T. Rowe Price
clock 14 February 2024 • 4 min read
Partner Insight: US SMID - Seven questions answered

Partner Insight: US SMID - Seven questions answered

After a bumpy 2023, small- and medium-sized US companies are now in a good place to outperform in 2024, argues fund manager Mark Sherlock.

Federated Hermes
clock 12 February 2024 • 6 min read
Equity funds gather highest inflows in three years as investor confidence returns

Equity funds gather highest inflows in three years as investor confidence returns

Calastone Fund Flows index

clock 07 February 2024 • 3 min read
Trustpilot