The Conservatives are not the Party of Enterprise

The perception that Labour is anti-business has no basis. I set up my business when Gordon Brown was Chancellor which benefited greatly from his low corporation tax policies for small business now abolished. Labour's recognises that Small and Medium Enteprises (SMEs) are the bedrock of UK PLC. SMEs are almost exclusively British owned, represent over 50% of UK GDP, and offer a wide range of flexible and skilled employment opportunities. In contrast the Conservative Party has shown total disinterest in SMEs, preferring to offer substantial tax cuts to Large Enterprises. I now pay a higher tax rate on my profits than many well-known multinationals, and am proud to pay my correct share of income tax, unlike some of Labour's critics. As an engineer I am also appalled by the dumbing down of our education system to remove any credit for the skills that are essential to support our innovative base. These include punitive fees for higher education, forcing highly skilled overseas post graduates to leave the country, and in our schools downgrading the value of key subjects such as Design and Technology and abolishing coursework and practicals in assessments. We need a skilled workforce, well practiced in technology and innovation, and demonstrably able to apply those skills to create wealth. The abolition of Regional Development Agencies, who played a major role in promoting the interests of SMEs was the Tories greatest folly. Finally, but not least, the Conservative Party's threat the UK's continued membership of the EU threatens our export markets and demonstrates their total lack of business credentials.