Business leads election agenda

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.

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 £6 billion 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.

EEF, the manufacturer’s organisation delivered a damning indictment on all three party leaders following the debate.

Chief executive Terry Scuoler said Messers Cameron, Clegg and Brown had failed to demonstrate they had the necessary vision to re-build and re-balance the UK economy.

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He said they were perpetuating a sterile debate that focused too much on specifics rather than a wider, bolder strategy to tackle the immense challenges faced by the UK in the next decade.

“Manufacturers wanted to hear that all three leaders possessed a vision of how the next government will think and act differently and that, whatever the outcome of the election, they will have the political maturity and courage to implement a bold economic strategy to create a new type of economy,” he said.
 
“This includes a radical rethink of government and public sector spending, creating a competitive and modern tax system and ensuring a greater role for an agile and dynamic manufacturing base.
 
“Instead, what we heard was a sterile debate that failed to give reassurance that they understand the immense economic challenges the UK faces and, the vision as to how they will tackle them to create investment and jobs here in the UK.

“Yet again, they were less than frank about the tough choices that we have to make in terms of tackling the deficit and where the balance will fall between tax and spending cuts.”

• 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 here 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 .