It’s an important time in the lead up to the General Election this week to see whether Labour will stay in power, or whether Conservative or Liberal Democrats will succeed in a time for change. Businesses will be looking in detail as to where their vote will be best placed when it comes to recovering from the recession, and Grad Central has aimed to sum this up with a few key points from each party:
Labour will…
- Launch a £2bn Future Jobs Fund to create 200,000 jobs, of which at least 120,000 will be targeted at 18-24 year olds and 50,000 jobs will be targeted at unemployment hotspots.
- Invest in low carbon, biotechnology, advanced bioscience industries and cutting-edge advanced manufacturing.
- Cut business rates for one year from October 2010.
- Create a new small business credit adjudicator that will ensure small businesses are fairly treated when applying for loans.
Conservative will…
- Reform regional business support to create business-led Local Economic Partnerships that will be more responsive to local business needs.
- Ensure any new business started in the first two years of a Conservative government will pay no Employer National Insurance on the first 10 employees it hires during its first year.
- Re-establish clear national policy leadership for key sectors such as aerospace, pharmaceuticals, IT, the creative industries, high-value manufacturing and hi-tech engineering that generate high-quality jobs around the whole country.
Liberal Democrats will…
- Consult with businesses to identify regulations for repeal, reduction or simplification.
- Introduce Local Enterprise Funds to ensure businesses in every part of the country get a fair chance to grow - not just those in London. Regional Stock Exchanges will also be introduced to offer smaller businesses access to equity without the huge risks and costs of a London listing.
- Increase the number of apprenticeships, and places on university and vocational higher education courses so young people can improve their skills and get qualifications that will help them capitalise when the job market recovers.
How will you vote?
