He held a forum with 30 leading business people and outlined the Conservative party’s plans to encourage innovation and the green agenda, to restore economic confidence, to simplify the tax system and ease the regulatory burden on small businesses in particular.
He was accompanied by Milton Keynes North East MP Mark Lancaster, local MEP James Ellis and Iain Stewart, the Tory prospective parliamentary candidate for the new Milton Keynes South constituency.
Mr Osborne (pictured) was keen to seek out the views of the business community on how the current economic downturn was affecting them and on how best to support business once economic recovery was under way.
He talked about about the current “unbalanced” economy and the measures that he believed would balance the books and stimulate growth.
Supporting the SME sector was high on the list of priorities as well as defining where the UK’s growth is going to come from in future years, he said.
The forum was organised by Milton Keynes & North Bucks Chamber of Commerce and hosted by business advisers Deloitte at its new Milton Keynes headquarters in The Pinnacle, Midsummer Boulevard.
Chamber chief executive Rita Spada said: “It is very positive that Mr Osborne clearly recognises the opportunities that Milton Keynes offers in terms of strategic location, entrepreneurial spirit and educational resources, to be perfectly placed to take advantage of the economic upturn when it comes.”
