In this article, Alia Al-Doori, Managing Director of Pearl Comms, offers a candid response to the Chancellor’s latest Budget.
Writing from the dual perspective of a communications specialist and the owner of an independent SME, she reflects on how the announcement — and the way it was delivered — lands with businesses like hers. Al-Doori examines the practical implications for SMEs, the challenges created by shifting economic goalposts, and why tone, delivery, and audience awareness matter just as much as policy.
(November 2025)
This budget needed seriousness and sensitivity, not silliness and jokes.
I am coming at today’s Budget announcement with two hats on – from an owner of an independent comms agency and employer, as well as from a speech delivery point of view.
Regardless of how the chancellor dresses up the changes she’s implemented, she’s u-turned on the Labour manifesto and raised income tax. Not only that, but she’s made doing business harder. My business is neither brand new, or a huge corporate, and it feels like I represent a group that always feels like it’s squeezed or overlooked.
Thankfully, we’re fortunate enough to be made from strong stuff at Pearl Comms, but it bothers me that we have to be quite so robust.
The only way I can describe it, is like trying to win a game of football (or whatever your preference) – you have the team, finances, tools, you’ve practiced, your set plays are perfection, your long term goals are all set for success – and then someone picks the goal up and puts it in an entirely new location, changes its shape and makes it a little smaller – with little or no notice – and yet, you’re still expected to score.
Political views aside, it sometimes feels impossible to win. Who sets out in business and doesn’t want to ‘win’. No one.
The SME voice is significant, our impact is significant. The UK government’s Business Population Estimates 2025 shows that SMEs (0–249 employees) accounted for about 60% of UK private‑sector employment and roughly 51% of total private‑sector turnover at the start of 2025.
I am super proud to be an employer, I wish I could employ more talented people quite honestly. Nurturing talent, supporting people and seeing my team flourish is literally what gets me out of bed. I understand the funding for apprenticeships for under 25s is good news for SMEs, but in reality – the admin burden that comes with doing it properly is significant also. So for businesses like mine, we’ll need access to the schemes and the set up to be smooth and not onerous on employers for it to be of real benefit.
Again, this feels like it’s for the larger SMEs or favours certain sectors, who perhaps might have apprentices in their droves. It would then make sense to have dedicated resource available for handling it and making sure they’re supported in the right kind of ways. For businesses on the smaller side, having dedicated resources just for this isn’t realistic so the cost-benefit isn’t as straightforward.
We never approach any people-related schemes, set-ups or training offers without giving it our all, or knowing we can really support whoever it involves, and apprenticeship schemes would be no different for us.
On the speech delivery front – this is what really got up my nose from the chancellor. It felt like a big joke, a ‘pantomime’ it was called in the office. Perhaps I’m being sensitive here, but the Chancellor’s delivery seems too focused on one-upping the opposition or poking fun at different parties, focusing too heavily on the jeering and performance of it all.
I don’t think there should be any laughing happening when you’re making changes that are going to significantly impact businesses and individuals.
From someone who message and media trains people frequently, we focus a lot on intended audience and how to deliver your message well to connect with them. I understand a speech of that magnitude is not easy with so many target audiences, but it failed to build trust and in fact, felt more arrogant and in delivery than anything.
It felt like she lost sight of exactly who her speech was actually going to be consumed by – the general public, the business community namely, not just her peers in parliament.
This Budget – its content and the way it was delivered – did not land well for me. It’s left a bitter taste, I only hope the reality is more positive.
This is a personal blog post. Any opinions, findings, and conclusion or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Centre for the New Midlands or any of our associated organisations/individuals.
ABOUT OUR AUTHOR:
Alia Al‑Doori is the founder and Managing Director of Pearl Comms, a UK-based public relations and communications agency. She launched Pearl Comms in 2017, and under her leadership it has grown steadily to serve a national client base, spanning from SMEs and start-ups to large corporates and multinationals.
Alia is known for championing a culture that values creativity, inclusivity and people-centred work — investing in a team of diverse talent across media relations, content creation, digital campaigns, media training, and more.
In 2023 she steered Pearl Comms through its first acquisition — buying technical PR specialist Kinetic Communications — cementing Pearl Comms’ place among the Midlands’ top PR consultancies by turnover, and expanding its offering and expertise.
Under her direction, Pearl Comms aims not just for business growth but for sustainable, values-driven work — delivering impactful communications and nurturing talent, while remaining agile enough to support clients ranging from start-ups to well-established industry players.
