Initially, the priority is to get credit moving again. We have proposed a National Loan Guarantee Scheme which would guarantee billions of new loans to any UK business for a commercial insurance fee that would protect the taxpayer. The focus would be on underwriting short-term credit lines, overdrafts and trade credit – the lifelines that all businesses need to stay afloat.

Then there are a number of other measures that a Conservative government would take to help business work, which include:

• Cutting the headline rate of corporation tax from 28p to 25p as a first step to lowering business taxes, funded by a reduction in complex allowances
• Helping small businesses by cutting payroll taxes by 1p for companies with less than 5 employees; cutting corporation tax for small companies from 22p to 20p; deferring VAT bills for up to 6 months; giving tax breaks to firms that create jobs.
• Reducing the burden of regulation by embarking on a major overhaul of business taxes and by looking at ways of simplifying reporting 
• Protecting our small shops by promoting civic partnerships and joint initiatives to retain and re-energise high streets
• Ensuring access to government tenders by changing bidding rules, advertising all contracts worth over £10,000 on line, and encouraging the awarding of 25% of contracts to small companies
• Retaining profitable post offices, keeping our network open for business and enlarging its function by identifying additional community needs.

There are many challenges involved in running a successful business, but as I’ve talked to business people in the constituency, dealing with the constant tangle of red tape has been the issue that has come up again and again. The Conservatives are very aware of the energy and money that’s wasted. If we’re elected, we’re determined to do something about it.