Our goal is simple: to make Britain the easiest and the best place in the world to set up and grow a business.
Labour have failed to deliver real help to business during the recession.
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They failed to help sound companies obtain credit to keep them running through the downturn.
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They failed to deliver on promises to ease the burden of red tape, especially on small and medium-sized firms.
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And they failed to understand businesses’ cash flow problems and are actually planning to increase them with a rise in National Insurance Contributions – a straightforward tax on jobs.
This recession is due to a credit crunch. So the priority has to be to get the credit markets moving. As a temporary measure to help businesses through the recession, Conservatives have been calling for a big, bold and simple National Loans Guarantee Scheme to get credit flowing again and help protect jobs.
But we also want to ensure Britain is one of the most competitive economies in which to do business in the future by:
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Abolishing tax on new jobs created by new businesses within the first two years of a Conservative government.
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Reducing the burden of regulation, introducing regulatory budgets and sunset clauses to give businesses more freedom and greater flexibility.
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Cutting the main rate of Corporation Tax.
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Cutting the small companies’ Corporation Tax rate.
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Making Britain Europe’s leading hi-tech exporter, with the help of Sir James Dyson’s taskforce.
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Simplifying employment law to make it easier to hire people.
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Improving skills training and apprenticeships.
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Reforming the Regional Development Agencies to create a vibrant, business-focused force that is more responsive to local needs.
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Strengthening UK Trade and Investment to give British business a powerful voice abroad.
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Increasing government procurement from small firms and improving prompt payment.
We recognise the huge contribution business makes to society – and that’s why we want to make Britain open for business again.
By ensuring government and business work together, rather than micro-managing from the top down, we will achieve far more for British society than Labour have ever done.