Gordon Brown has failed to deliver on promises to promote enterprise throughout his reign as chancellor, Michael Howard, his opposite number, has told the Commons.
ADVERTISEMENT
Speaking after Brown had finished his 39 minute speech, the shadow chancellor quoted the CBI and other business bodies that had complained about the volume of red tape and hidden tax rises.
These burdens, he said, were hindering the ability of UK business to 'win orders and protect jobs' with the package of measures contained in the pre-Budget report unlikely to help.
Howard said that under Brown the UK had slipped from ninth to nineteenth in the world competitiveness league and condemned the '3,865 new regulations introduced last year alone, the highest figure on record'.
And in a phrase also used to describe the government's record on the NHS - and one that is sure to be used repeatedly in Tory attacks on the pre-Budget report - Howard added: 'Every year he makes these promises and every year he breaks them.'
Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire | Wavelength - Public Practice Recruitment
Practice Audit / Accounts Senior - Milton Keynes c£28K - £32K An opportunity to join a busy, progressive firm of accountants in the role of Audit Senior. A role offering variety and responsibility along with ... more >
The role, working within a team of nine, will be reporting to The Head of Internal Audit and will be a largely autonomous and visible role performing strategic and business wide audits. The team is ... more >
Immediate assignment for a business analyst for a period of 6 months has arisen based in Canary Wharf. The candidate will be accountable for the production of Management Information that will need to be manipulated ... more >
The Change group is an award winning, global, Foreign Currency Exchange Company. Covering three continents, with an annual turnover in excess of £250 million we employ 600+ employees in 120 branches situated in prime locations ... more >
More Jobs in Finance
RSS feeds