The Malvern Hills Science Park was the venue for a meeting this week where local businesses from across the two counties could meet prospective Conservative MPs for four constituencies.

The event was organised by the Hereford and Worcester Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has published a business manifesto for the next Parliament and has surveyed local businesses to ask them about their priorities.

Harriett Baldwin, Prospective Conservative MP for West Worcestershire, Jesse Norman, Prospective Conservative MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire, Robin Walker, Prospective Conservative MP for Worcester and Mark Garnier, Prospective Conservative MP for Wyre Forest all attended the meeting and welcomed the recommendations. All four prospective MPs have extensive business backgrounds.

Harriett Baldwin said, "Many of the aspirations of local businesses are the aspirations of any possible Conservative government. It will be the private sector and small businesses which will help Britain recover from recession. Government must assist this process by keeping regulations as simple as possible and by resisting the temptation to tax businesses to reduce the deficit. We need job creation and investment to help the two counties recover from the recent downturn. Government needs to be fiscally responsible."

Photo: From L to R, Jesse Norman, Harriett Baldwin, Robin Walker and Mark Garnier