Pro-EU backing for Labour business manifesto
ED Miliband won guarded support from major business organisations when he launched his party’s Better Plan for Business manifesto today.
The Labour leader’s claim that David Cameron’s pledge to hold a referendum on Britain’s EU membership was a “clear and present danger” to jobs and business appeared to garner a degree of agreement from the UK’s most influential organisations.
Speaking at the Bloomberg European headquarters in London, alongside shadow chancellor Ed Balls, shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna and entrepreneurs Paul Lindley, founder of organic baby food Ella’s Kitchen, and Margaret Wood, chairman of bespoke window manufacturers ICW, Mr Miliband promised a range of measures to help business.
But his scathing attack on the Prime Minister’s management of the European question was the main focus of his address.
Mr Miliband pledged to return the UK to a leadership role in Europe, saying: “There could be nothing worse for our country or for our great exporting businesses than playing political games with our membership of the European Union – I’m not going to do it.”
He said Mr Cameron “came to power promising to stop his party ‘banging on about Europe’. Now if he has his way, he’ll have us inside Europe banging on the door to leave or, even worse, outside Europe – banging on the door to be let back in.
“I want to be clear about what is at stake in this election for British business… He promises a vote on our membership of the European Union organised by a divided Conservative Party, over half of whom want to leave, and a prime minister who doesn’t seem to know his own mind.
“And at the same time, he promises a leadership contest in the Conservative Party to succeed him when candidates will be vying against each other to see who can be the most extreme on Europe.
“It is a recipe for two years of uncertainty in which inward investment will drain away, two years of uncertainty in which businesses will not be able to plan for the future, and two years of wasted opportunities for progress, for profit, for prosperity: a clear and present danger to British jobs, British business, British families and British prosperity.”
North West region director at manufacturers’ organisation EEF Darrell Matthews responded positively to Mr Miliband’s comments when he said: “Manufacturing businesses want us to remain in the EU.
“They want a wholehearted commitment to punch above our weight in Europe while, at the same time, leading the push for the vital reforms we need to make the Commission fit-for-purpose. Ed Miliband’s comments are therefore welcome.”
CBI director-general John Cridland also weighed in to the debate when he said: “Membership of a reformed EU and having access to the Single Market is fundamental to future jobs and growth here in the UK.
“The EU does need to change and business wants to see an ambitious, achievable reform agenda that will keep Britain in the EU, from whoever forms the next government.”
Meanwhile, Institute of Directors (IoD) director Simon Walker gave qualified backing when he said said: “Business leaders will welcome Ed Miliband’s focus on strengthening the UK’s position as an open and outward-looking country, and share his desire for continuing membership of the European Union.
“However, there is little desire in the business community for maintaining the status quo.”
Mr Miliband’s 22-page brochure also promises to cut and freeze business rates for more than 1.5 million small business properties, while at the same time creating an independent National Infrastructure Commission and a British Investment Bank that will support a network of regional banks to boost competition on the High Street.
He also promised “to start a revolution in vocational education” that will ensure all young people study English and maths to 18, with a guaranteed apprenticeship for those that work hard and get the grades.
