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As the banks tightened their lending criteria during the recession, alternative finance went from a nascent niche industry to an economic success story. This is particularly so in Britain, where its growth outstrips the rest of Europe put together.
Both Labour and Conservatives are keen to promote entrepreneurialism as a way out of poverty or off benefits and as a wider driver of economic growth. But despite several schemes designed to support start-ups and the newly self-employed plus a surge in people working for themselves, many face difficulty in financing the type of rapidly growing businesses that provides jobs and contributes to economic prosperity.
