David Cameron has extolled a can-do spirit among young entrepreneurs, telling them he wants to encourage as many new businesses as he can so Britain can create the next Facebook, Amazon or Google.
On the day the UK Government announced its Start-Up Loans scheme was being boosted by £30 million to £110m during the next three years, the Prime Minister met young business people during a visit to the University of Central Lancashire in Preston.
"There's no reason why Britain can't create the next Google, the next Amazon, the next Facebook," Mr Cameron declared.
"These are tough times, I know, but we have to do everything we can to encourage that private sector growth, that small business growth."
He was accompanied on his visit by James Caan, one of the Dragons Den stars in the popular BBC show, who chairs the loans scheme.
During a question-and- answer session, the PM pointed out some of the world's biggest brands did not exist just a decade ago.
Britain's strength in having English as the international business language, as well as its IT sector and universities, allied to encouraging entrepreneurs, meant it had the ingredients for success, he said.
The Government says it is on target to issue 2500 loans by March, despite claims that only a few hundred have been finalised.
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