LONDON, July 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Data obtained by leading accountancy firm, Price Bailey, shows mid-market British business has greater faith in Parliament than Parliament has it itself. The findings come as Prime Minister Andy Burnham has positioned economic growth and business investment as key priorities of his government.

Bailey's new report Bridging the Divide 2026 surveyed 500 mid-market Business Leaders and over 100 Members of Parliament (MPs) on key business issues.

According to the report, 83% of Business Leaders say Parliament understand the needs of British Business, while 76% say Parliament delivers on these needs. In contrast, 60% of MP's say Parliament understand the needs of British Business, and just 47% say they deliver on these needs. This data represents MP parliamentary confidence rates that are 23% and 29% lower, respectively, than those of British Business Leaders.

The data goes on to reveal that MPs' confidence in Parliament's ability to support British business has fallen since last year. According to the survey, there has been a 9% drop in the number of MPs who feel Parliament understands the needs of businesses, alongside a 2% decline in those who believe it delivers on those needs, compared with Price Bailey's 2025 report. In contrast, Business Leaders have become more confident, with increases of 6% and 5% respectively in their views on how well Parliament understands and delivers on their needs.

The report also reveals polarisation between sectors, when it comes to Business Leader confidence in Parliament. According to the data, 34% of Retail Business Leaders feel misunderstood by Parliament, which is 17% higher than the average business. In contrast, Business Leaders from Healthcare, Finance and Travel emerged as the most positive with just 8%, 10% and 11% respectively reporting that Parliament does not understand the needs of business.

Commenting on the report, Chand Chudasama, Strategic Corporate Finance Partner and Chairman at Price Bailey, who oversaw the research, says: "While it is encouraging that mid-market businesses continue to show confidence in Parliament, MPs themselves are notably more cautious about its ability to support business, raising important questions about alignment and effectiveness."

"Sector analysis once again suggests that the strongest performers are businesses with the ability to protect or increase prices, while those with limited pricing flexibility are more likely to see growth eroded by inflationary pressures. This is something we identified earlier this year in our Mid-Market Index, and it serves to highlight how different sectors experience the current economic climate."

"Closing the gap between Parliament and business will require a more nuanced understanding of these pressures, particularly how policy affects sectors in different ways and at different stages of growth."

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