Electioneering Blair promises action on skills crisis

Blair didn't announce any new initiatives, but told delegates at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) conference in London that extending and improving access to adult training schemes was crucial.

"The University for Industry, the new Learning and Skills Council, discounts on IT courses, the measures in the New Deal which help with training and skills as well as job opportunities and a whole range of investments in new technology are essential for our future," he said.

Yesterday the BCC, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), and the Institute of Directors (IoD) called on all three political parties to put the skills crisis at the top of their election manifestos.

According to BCC director general Chris Humphries, the Labour government has improved adult training during the last four years, but there is still a long way to go.

Humphries also criticised the government's track record on ecommerce. "There's a mixed view coming from government about ebusiness," he told silicon.com, referring to unpopular legislation such as IR35 and the RIP Act.

"We want to see government looking at the whole way in which they support ebusiness, and stop some of the recent ideas which have a real tendency to make Britain a worse place for ebusiness."

Blair promised to continue a broad dialogue with industry, welcoming the improved relationship between New Labour and the business community. "It should always be a given that whoever is in power wants to work with business for the success of enterprise and industry as a whole," he said.

Home Secretary Jack Straw added weight to Labour's pre-election message, pledging to stamp out commercial crime and promising to introduce tougher sentencing for email virus writers. "We're putting more money into trying to track people who create viruses," he told delegates. "We want to see tougher sentences in the courts."

Delegates at the conference broadly welcomed the Prime Minister's comments but if, as expected, Labour win a second term in office, businesses will be expecting to see their concerns promptly answered.