Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Courting business
Now this is a curious story. The Western Mail tells us that yesterday's CBI breakfast hustings in Cardiff was attended by two representatives from Labour, Plaid and the Liberal Democrats, but Conservative AM David Melding was "called away at short notice", leaving the Tories unrepresented. Rather predictably this has led to a claim by Labour's Leighton Andrews, that the Conservatives are snubbing Welsh business.
I was at the Swansea CBI event this morning in which two Plaid Cymru and two Welsh Liberal Democrats were joined on the top table by one Tory and the Labour Enterprise Minister. Both the Tories and Labour had only sent one representative when two were requested. Would this fifty per cent representation also constitute a 'snub'?
Surely, Welsh businesses are capable of drawing their own conclusions from both the contributions made to these events and the attendance of the various political parties at them. As for the Tories, I don't think they should take for granted that all business people will be supporting them. That is far from the case.
I was at the Swansea CBI event this morning in which two Plaid Cymru and two Welsh Liberal Democrats were joined on the top table by one Tory and the Labour Enterprise Minister. Both the Tories and Labour had only sent one representative when two were requested. Would this fifty per cent representation also constitute a 'snub'?
Surely, Welsh businesses are capable of drawing their own conclusions from both the contributions made to these events and the attendance of the various political parties at them. As for the Tories, I don't think they should take for granted that all business people will be supporting them. That is far from the case.
