For business leaders, all politicians are empty vessels

Politicians from the three main parties are wasting their time if they seriously hope to woo the business vote.

For the prevailing mood among wealth generators and employers is one of deep scepticism. At heart, let's be honest, most entrepreneurs are natural Tories. It sticks in their self-sufficient craws that a high percentage of the money they make goes in taxes.

They provide employment and take risks - and still they're expected to contribute more to the nation's coffers. Labour,

historically a spend-and-tax party and aligned to the unions, cannot be trusted. As for the Lib-Dems, they don't come onto the business radar as they are unlikely to seize power.

But the Tories aren't much cop, either. Black Wednesday was a disaster for them in courting the commercial vote. It showed they were nowhere near the secure managers they made themselves out to be. The result, despite overtures from the party leaders, is that business generally has little time for politicians of any persuasion.

The cynicism is also based on the difficulty of trying to run an enterprise in 2005. Businesses have been clobbered by the rise in employers' National Insurance contributions and higher business rates and fear there will be more. No, as far as business is concerned, politicians are empty vessels and best avoided.