After 103 business leaders came out in support of the Tory Party, were they right to intervene?
Ben Page is chief executive of Ipsos MORI, says Yes
The views of business leaders and major employers do matter, and we know that 86 per cent of the FTSE 500 think that a Conservative government would be best for business. It’s a free country and freedom of speech matters. But despite the party having a lead on economic competence, the Conservatives remain much more disliked than Labour by the public. Given how close the General Election is, business leaders may need to be careful not to over-egg their support of the Conservative Party. Most people say they don’t trust business people to tell the truth, and they already suspect that the Conservative Party favours the better off, so don’t expect this to be a game changer. Indeed, if very wealthy business people are too strident in their opinions about the election, they may find it is simply counterproductive.
Chris Rumfitt is founder and chief executive of Corporate Reputation Consulting, says No