I WAS amused to read that the Labour Party is distributing 50,000 copies of a document called 'Growing and Prospering' to small businesses.
Mr Blair is, of course, trying to demonstrate that New Labour is no longer hostile to small businesses.
Yet the Labour Party is committed to the introduction of the European Social Chapter and the minimum wage. These policies alone would kill off thousands of small businesses.
Many small firms are wavering on the edge of closure with few employees and dwindling orders.
It is not difficult to envisage what would happen if they had to introduce paternity leave, statutory holiday entitlements and minimum rates of pay.
Mr Blair is being very disingenuous when he says that the Social Chapter would have no effect on small companies.
Thousands would be forced to close and those left would be forced to cut down on their staff.
D PEARSON, vice-chairman Blackburn Conservative Party, Rawstorne Street, Blackburn.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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