Jo Swinson says Lib Dems are new ‘party of business’
Jo Swinson has said the Liberal Democrats are now the “natural party of business” as she lambasted the economic policies and Brexit stances of the Conservatives and Labour.
The third party leader to address the CBI conference in London today, Swinson said her controversial policy to revoke Brexit would allow a Lib Dem government to address “the very real issues in our economy”.
Read more: Boris Johnson postpones corporation tax cut
Swinson sought to appeal to business leaders who felt let down by the Tories and threatened by Labour. She said: “With the Conservatives in the pocket of Nigel Farage and Jeremy Corbyn stuck in the 1970s, we are the only ones standing up for you.”
She reiterated the Lib Dems’ policy to replace business rates with a tax paid by landlords on the value of land, saying it would “breath new life into our high streets”. She said: “It is time for clear action that will give proper help to our small businesses.”
Yet she admitted it was likely that landlords would pass at least some of the cost on to tenants. “Clearly, it being borne by landlords, some of that may well be passed on, but we also recognise it will not all be,” she said.
CBI director general Dame Carolyn Fairbairn said: “Moving to a land value tax is mired in complexity, and it remains unclear how it would cut overall costs or provide a level playing field. Much more detail will be needed.”
Swinson’s central argument was that leaving the European Union would be bad for businesses.
“We believe that any form of Brexit, whether it’s hard or soft, blue or red, will be bad for jobs, business, and our public services,” the Lib Dem leader said. ‘We believe that our best future is as members of the European Union.”
Challenged by an audience member on the Lib Dem policy to revoke Article 50, she said the party was standing up for what it believed in.
Swinson also accused Labour and the Conservatives of recklessness over their plans for the economy.
She said big spending plans need ‘‘’shovel-ready’ projects” and “the skills and people to make them happen”. But she said this was only possible within the EU.
The Lib Dem leader’s speech came after addresses by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Read more: Jeremy Corbyn ‘investment blitz’ pitch to businesses draws frosty reception
Swinson’s speech was light on new policy announcements. Johnson announced he would shelve plans to cut corporation tax from 19 per cent to 17 per cent.
Corbyn announced a new climate apprenticeship programme which he said would deliver 320,000 apprenticeships in England during Labour’s first term in government.
(Image credit: Getty)