Last chance to take our General Election survey
THE ECONOMY was the centre of attention last night as the three party leaders locked horns for the final televised debate in what has become an extraordinary General Election.
[FORM: 19]
Gordon Brown and David Cameron continued their long-running war of words over the government’s plans to increase employers’ National Insurance
contributions and the Tories’ pledge to curb the ‘tax on jobs’.
Brown accused Cameron of endangering the recovery by ‘taking £6bn out of the economy’ by reversing the National Insurance plan, while Cameron pressed home the attack with a pledge to allow startup businesses to avoid paying NI on their first ten employers.
The Conservative leader further played to the SME audience by promising that 25% of government procurement would benefit small businesses.
Nick Clegg stressed that the Lib Dems would prioritise the needs of ‘ordinary people’ by ensuring the richest bore the brunt of tax rises.
As the dust settled on the debate, polls indicated that there was no overall winner, but the stalling of Labour’s campaign following the Prime Minister’s ‘bigoted woman’ remarks allowed the Conservatives to nudge ahead in the view of many observers.
With business and the economy at the centre of the election campaign this week, what are your views on the promises of the party leaders, and whose policies do you think will be best for your business and the UK as a whole? 1,000 regional business readers of TheBusinessDesk.com have already taken part in our first ever general election survey.
The poll closes today – Friday – at noon, and takes only a minute to complete. Click on the link above to take part.
::
“Momentarily, the TV lights illuminated the scene in a silent tableau, and then the braying media pack descended on a now animated Mandelson as he launched into as passionate an endorsement of Brown, his former foe, as he ever gave to Blair.”
West Midlands editor Marc Reeves was in the media room at last night’s debate in Birmingham. Read his blog post here .
[FORM: 19]
