Aphra Brandreth: It’s time for the Conservatives to be the party of businesswomen

Aphra Brandreth is the Conservative MP for Chester South and Eddisbury.

As a woman who has navigated both the business and political worlds, I know how important it is to support the next generation – and to help women not just enter business but thrive in it.

Like business, politics remains a field that’s still too difficult for women to break into; and while we’ve made steady progress, there is more to do.

Organisations such as the Conservative Women’s Organisation (CWO) – of which I’m proud to serve as an Honorary Vice President – are doing vital work to support women into politics. But just as we help women reach the green benches of Parliament, we must also support them into the boardrooms of business.

The 2024 election result was a disappointing one for our Party. But under Kemi Badenoch’s leadership, we’ve embarked on a journey of renewal. Part of that must involve returning to the principles that made us electorally successful – and re-establishing our natural alliance with business. That starts, for me, with small and medium-sized businesses (or SMEs), the beating heart of our economy, and, crucially, with the people who power them.

Many of those entrepreneurs are women. But we must go further: to inspire more women to start, scale, and succeed in business. Because women make outstanding business leaders: we’re creative, pragmatic, capable multi-taskers, and often deeply rooted in our communities. That makes for strong businesses and, I’d argue, strong politics too.

It’s telling that not a single member of Labour’s Cabinet has meaningful business experience. They simply don’t understand the day-to-day pressures that SME owners and entrepreneurs face.

As someone who built a successful business in the veterinary sector, I understand what it takes: hard work, risk, and sacrifice. I know the economic significance of SMEs. I also worked as an economist at DEFRA, gaining valuable insight into rural life, especially in agriculture, food, and the environment.

Now, I have the privilege of serving as the Member of Parliament for Chester South and Eddisbury, home to more than 5,000 businesses, from family farms and high street shops to digital start-ups. When I meet with business owners, they want the Government to do three simple things: cut taxes, reduce costs, and help them attract and retain great people. In short, simplify the bureaucracy.

But right now, businesses across the country are under immense pressure. The Autumn Budget and emergency Spring Statement failed to deliver for small businesses. And with another Budget expected to be especially painful, the outlook risks worsening before it improves.

Business rates remain far too high, hurting shops and service providers. The rise in employer National Insurance Contributions (a Jobs Tax in all but name) is stifling growth and hiring. Changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief have penalised family-run firms and deterred investment.

Meanwhile the Employment Rights Bill – or, more accurately, the (un)Employment Rights Bill – risks discouraging small firms from hiring altogether. It’s no wonder unemployment is rising at an alarming rate under Labour.

These cumulative costs are holding back growth, particularly in the hospitality, retail, and farming sectors. The message from business owners is loud and clear: we need practical, thoughtful support, not more burdens.

That’s why I’ve consistently spoken up, in Westminster and my constituency, on issues from business rates and childcare to rural opportunity and tax reform. But warm words aren’t enough. We need action, and ambition.

Especially when it comes to women. Female-led SMEs already contribute around £85 billion a year – roughly 16 per cent of total SME output. Yet just 19 per cent of SMEs are female-led, and a mere 5.8 per cent of investment capital goes to female-founded firms. If women launched and scaled businesses at the same rate as men, the British economy could gain up to £250 billion. That would be transformative.

We must empower girls and women through visible role models, mentorship, and targeted support, so they know they can start a business, lead a team, or serve in public office. The Conservative Party must open its doors wider – to entrepreneurs, to innovators, and especially to businesswomen.

That’s why I proudly serve as an officer on the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Women and Enterprise, and why I support Conservatives For Business, the Conservative Rural Forum, and the CWO. Together, we are championing opportunity, resilience, and economic growth, and helping shape policies that deliver real impact on the ground.

Together, as a Party, we can once again be the party of business, and women must be at the heart of that. Let’s champion the businesswomen in our networks, support their campaigns, and encourage them to take the lead. There is an immense pool of talent and experience in the business world. We should welcome them into our Party, and onto our green benches.

So, to the businesswomen reading this, my message is clear: we need you. Whether you run a clinic, a café, a farm, or a digital start-up, or juggle a baby and a balance sheet, your voice matters. Step forward. Stand for your local association. Mentor another woman. Consider public service – from parish councils to Parliament.

We’ve turned a page. Now let’s open the door wider, and build a Conservative Party, and a country, where businesswomen aren’t just the backbone of our economy, but the future of our politics too.