THE Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is launching a new campaign putting prospective politicians in direct contact with small businesses on social media.

The #ibacksmallbusiness campaign forms the centrepiece of the FSB’s work in advance of the 2015 General Election.

The backbone of the campaign is the FSB’s Business Manifesto which outlines the five key areas that will need to be addressed by any aspiring new Government:

• Deliver a sustained economic recovery

• Rebalance the economy

• Create high quality jobs and full employment

• Make all markets work better

• Lower the cost of doing business

#ibacksmallbusiness is a social media campaign supported by a website www.ibacksmallbusiness.com. The site allows prospective candidates and small businesses to share content on social platforms such as videos, infographics and quotes from small business owners across the UK.

This will enable prospective parliamentary candidates to see and hear the challenges facing small businesses in the specific constituencies they wish to serve. By Tweeting or posting #ibacksmallbusiness, candidates can show support for the small business community.

The launch follows more than six months of engagement between FSB members, Shadow, and Government ministers, expressing their opinions on how to make running a small business easier. It also coincides with the progression of the first ever Small Business Bill through Parliament, a key mile stone in the growing recognition of the contribution small firms are making to the UK economy.

Ted Salmon, North East Regional Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses, said: "#ibacksmallbusiness is a unique opportunity for those wishing to win a seat in the next Parliament in the North-East to talk directly with small business owners via social media.

“Our business manifesto is the product of months of direct engagement with real small businesses in the North-East and across the UK. It plainly outlines what the next Government needs to do to support entrepreneurs seeking to start a new business or grow an existing firm.

“Over the coming months we expect candidates claiming to support small firms to get behind the #ibacksmallbusiness campaign and commit to taking the measures in our business manifesto forward in the next Parliament.”