Critical Discussion Held Between Local Businesses and MP Amongst Political Uncertainty

Last Friday, the Doncaster Chamber of Commerce hosted a critical roundtable with Sally Jameson MP to discuss the challenges and opportunities currently facing employers in Doncaster’s City Centre.

Held at Ambispace Doncaster, the roundtable brought together businesses across all sectors for a constructive discussion around cost pressures, workforce challenges and local infrastructure.

Considering recent political debate in Doncaster, the national government perspective was sought out by businesses. Many businesses across the room reiterated their support for the reopening of the airport, emphasising the impact that a reversed decision would have on investor confidence. The obvious benefits for exporters and aviation led companies, investing in Doncaster already, was pushed, Sally Jameson reaffirmed her commitment to the reopening of the airport and had expressed the engagement she had already committed to with local leadership.

Persistent recruitment challenges facing businesses were highlighted, with many citing the increasing costs associated with hiring. There was widespread consensus on the need for national policymakers to strengthen incentives for employers to recruit individuals who are currently furthest from the labour market. Businesses expressed their willingness to help those who remain outside of the labour market but shared the lack of viable investment and sustainable frameworks.

Sally Jameson listened carefully to the issues raised throughout the discussion and reaffirmed her commitment to feeding these concerns back to national policymakers, particularly where decisions risk creating unintended barriers to business growth. She underlined the importance of sustained engagement between businesses and government to support productivity and long‑term economic growth across the region.

Businesses spoke candidly about the everyday pressures they are facing, including rising costs such as National Insurance, energy prices and wage increases. A shared challenge across all sectors was the difficulty of managing these escalating costs while also responding to growing social value expectations and requirements from government.

Sally Jameson, MP, said, “It was important to hear directly from businesses about the pressures they are facing and the barriers that are holding back investment and growth. Conversations like this help ensure that policy is grounded in real‑world experience. From skills and workforce challenges to the importance of long‑term certainty and infrastructure, including Doncaster Sheffield Airport, I’m committed to taking these issues back into government and keeping this dialogue going.”

The MP Roundtable demonstrated Doncaster Chamber’s ongoing commitment to building and maintaining strong relationships with local MPs to better support businesses across the region. Creating space for open and honest conversations allows businesses to share their real‑world experiences directly with decision‑makers. The Chamber will continue to facilitate this dialogue, helping ensure business concerns are understood, considered and reflected in policy discussions that affect growth, confidence and day‑to‑day operations.

Dan Fell MBE, Chief Executive of the Doncaster Chamber, “What came through clearly today is the compound impact of rising, non‑negotiable costs on businesses. Employers want to invest, recruit and support their communities, but that becomes incredibly difficult when confidence and certainty aren’t there.”