Seeds of city’s rebirth sown by Tories says Clarke
SHADOW Business Secretary Ken Clarke has claimed that the seeds Manchester’s rebirth over the last two decades were sown by the Conservatives, not Labour, as he sought to emphasis that it is the party for business.
Mr Clarke, who was meeting more than 100 business leaders in the city, said: “It was the Thatcher and Major governments that introduced Manchester to the global economy and brought low inflation. Without that Manchester would still be the run down place it was 30 years ago.”
He said Greater Manchester’s regeneration had begun with Salford Quays in the 1980s.
“Salford Quays was our regeneration policy. I remember visiting there with Mrs Thatcher and having to persuade her to wear a hard hat.
“I was using phrases like public-private partnerships that was seen as irreligious by the city councillors of Labour then.”
The Conservatives have been buoyed by the support of many leading business people, such as Sir Stuart Rose of Marks & Spencer, who back their plans to scrap the planned National Insurance increase if elected.
Mr Clarke said: “For us it was a complete no-brainer – (to oppose the NI hike) it’s a tax on jobs and the worse possible thing to do.
“It’s not just a tax on jobs but it puts up business costs generally. Putting up income tax for everyone in work will put great pressure on wages. I’d have been astonished if the business community had not howled with rage.”
Asked about the televised leaders’ debate – the second of which takes places tomorrow – he said he fears the General Election has become “some kind of television talent contest” for a public disillusioned with politics.
He said: “We have got to get back to making this a serious election, even though the public are to some extent disillusioned and ’switched off’.
“This is a general election in the midst of the worst economic crisis this country has faced since the war. The electorate has got to be capable of choosing a strong government able to take the difficult and necessary actions to cut the debt and deficit.”
During his trip to Manchester Mr Clarke met Michael Oglesby and Colin Sinclair, chairman and chief executive of inward investment agency MIDAS and more than 60 members of Greater Manchester Chamber.
