Labour Laws.

Labour's labour laws were designed to protect workers and there is nothing at all wrong with that.
Laws which cosset and overprotect however, are extremely damaging to small employers.
If you have a small business with a workforce measuring a mere handful, you will always have to think very hard before employing somebody extra and will always ask yourself the question, "How will I be able to rid myself of this person if: they turn out to be lazy, unreliable, dishonest or if the economy takes another downturn?"
When the answer comes back as it will be: expensive, difficult, legally explosive and maybe even impossible - the smaller employer often refuses to attempt business expansion.
Just how many jobs this costs, no-one can say but it will inevitably be well into six figures.