Business leaders in Coventry and Warwickshire have urged Chancellor George Osborne to put the economy before the election in his Autumn Statement next week.
The Chancellor will take to the despatch box next Wednesday (December 3) to deliver his final Autumn Statement before the General Election next May.
And the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce is warning against any pre-election ‘vote winners’ that could jeopardise the economic recovery.
Chief executive Louise Bennett said: “The Autumn Statement must be one that aims to cement the economic recovery not one that looks to start grabbing votes for the General Election.
“That means business must be at the heart of it and must include measures that support job creation and growth. David Cameron said recently that there were red lights on the world economy’s dashboard so how will this Autumn Statement look to deal with that.
“That means creating the best possible conditions for companies to invest, do business and grow in what remains a tough climate. It also means looking to address the issue around our young people and equipping them with the skills they need to fill the roles our economy requires.
“Another factor that will help growth is bringing our infrastructure into the 21st century. Across Coventry and Warwickshire, we are seeing a great deal of work being undertaken on our roads but it’s vital that we see investment nationally in roads, rail and air in order for us to be able to compete on the global stage and that more of that investment comes to this area, especially North Warwickshire.
“On top of the improvements that will bring, it will also create jobs in the construction and engineering sector.
“As part of our manifesto for the next election, we’ve also urged whoever forms the next government to drive down business costs and taxation as well as help to create the next generation of workforce.
“There is no reason why the Chancellor cannot begin that process on Wednesday to ensure that the confidence we have seen among companies across our patch over recent months is maintained.
“But all of this must be done in a very tightly-budgeted statement because it is vital that we do not shy away from the plan of getting the deficit down and building an economy that focuses on investment and growth – including a strong focus on overseas trade.
“We will watch with great interest because this will probably be the Chancellor’s hardest balancing act since this government came to power in 2010.”
