This week’s budget gave me some pause for thought.
We are still struggling with a deficit of £1 trillion, and will borrow £120 billion this year alone.
We know why – Labour’s profligacy and the banking meltdown – but fixing it is the priority now.
And as a Conservative, I believe that we must first roll back the state and allow people to flourish.
The Prime Minister promised a “forensic, relentless focus on growth”.
What better way to encourage it than through promoting some good, old-fashioned enterprise?
The corporation tax cut of one per cent will help.
But not nearly enough.
My recent meeting with the regional Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) convinced me that there is much, much more we can do.
The FSB say that they are struggling with high fuel costs, business rates and lack of infrastructure, such as broadband, although this is improving.
Restrictive rules on employment law and workers’ rights don’t help.
Needless to say, most of these come directly from Brussels.
But the prime concern of small businesses is getting access to credit - and banks are still refusing to lend in many cases.
Despite the National Loan Guarantee Scheme’s promise to lend money to small businesses at a lower rate, getting approval for loans is as difficult as ever.
As the FSB said, this is not a “game changer”.
It’s regrettable that the Chancellor did not reduce fuel taxes.
These are crippling, especially for those living in a rural constituency like South Dorset.
We already have the highest diesel prices in Europe.
We are all being, slowly but surely, priced off the road.
I believe the budget could have been more radical, but our Coalition partners want taxes when we want cuts.
The key to a successful economy is to earn what we spend and then to live within our means.
Overall, the Budget was another step to that goal.