Price Bailey event spotlights UK business-policy divide

Price Bailey brought Lord Michael Gove and Chairman Chand Chudasama together in London to debate taxes, regulation and artificial intelligence as part of the firm’s latest survey of MPs and business leaders. The discussion underscored a widening gap between Westminster and business on what drives growth and why long-term investment remains hard to unlock.

Why it matters: - The debate highlighted how far apart many UK policymakers and business leaders remain on the conditions needed for growth. - Price Bailey’s survey points to a widening gap on taxation, regulation, investment and business confidence. - The conversation focused on issues that affect hiring, expansion, productivity and the next generation of workers.

What happened: - Price Bailey Chairman Chand Chudasama debated Lord Michael Gove at the Institution of Engineering and Technology in London on 30 September 2026. - The event, titled Bridging the Divide, drew about 400 business owners, investors, bankers, professional advisers and senior executives. - Price Bailey staged the discussion to examine findings from its MPs and Business Leaders Survey 2026. - The survey compared the views of more than 100 Members of Parliament with those of more than 500 UK business leaders.

The details: - Taxation, economic growth, artificial intelligence and the divide between business and Westminster dominated the discussion. - Chudasama challenged Gove on taxation, government policy, regulation and barriers facing British entrepreneurs. - Gove said high taxation can weaken entrepreneurship and investment. - Gove also argued the Treasury’s focus on controlling expenditure has limited long-term investment in growth. - Gove proposed a stronger institutional counterweight to the Treasury with an explicit remit to promote economic growth. - Gove identified high industrial energy prices, rising employment costs and regulatory uncertainty as constraints on investment. - Gove questioned whether some regulation focuses too much on process rather than practical outcomes, citing environmental requirements tied to Hinkley Point C. - The discussion also covered food security, agricultural policy and inheritance tax changes affecting farming businesses. - Gove said domestic food production should be treated as a national security issue. - The debate examined how AI could reshape white-collar jobs and graduate hiring. - Gove suggested AI may significantly affect entry-level roles in accountancy, law, financial services and other knowledge industries. - Gove also raised concerns about student debt, housing affordability and the pace of political leadership on technological change. - Price Bailey Managing Director Martin Clapson opened the event with the firm’s research findings. - Clapson said the survey found common ground on skills, infrastructure and growth, but also clear differences in priorities. - Clapson highlighted slowing growth, more cautious investment decisions and a sharper focus on productivity. - Price Bailey said the event is part of its effort to bring privately owned businesses into national policy conversations. - Further information is available in Price Bailey’s announcement.

Between the lines: - The event was less a standard political exchange and more a stress test of whether Westminster understands day-to-day business decision-making. - The research suggests businesses are making longer-term plans in a more uncertain environment, which can delay hiring and capital spending. - The AI discussion added a forward-looking warning: growth policy is no longer just about tax and regulation, but also about how the UK prepares workers for rapid technological change.

What’s next: - Price Bailey is likely to keep using its survey work and events to press for more dialogue between business and policymakers. - The debate pointed to continued pressure on government to improve confidence around tax, regulation, energy costs and investment conditions. - The biggest test will be whether the policy conversation leads to changes that make UK business expansion easier and more predictable.

The bottom line: - Price Bailey’s event captured a core UK economic problem: business leaders want growth, but many still see government policy as a barrier rather than an enabler.