Labour leader tries to love-bomb engineering employers by saying nothing much at all about apprenticeships and Local Enterprise Partnerships
Having failed to show just how much he really loved business two weeks ago by deciding he couldn’t be bothered to turn up to the British Chambers of Commerce annual conference, Ed Miliband was keen to make amends. If the EEF manufacturers’ organisation conference wasn’t a red-letter day in its members’ diaries, it was for the Labour leader. This was his chance to love-bomb industry: it was also the ideal chance to say absolutely nothing at all.
“I want to congratulate you, the backbone of business in Britain,” he began. “I want to congratulate you for everything you do for this country.” Everything. For the way they had got out of bed that morning to heroically fight the odds and make it to the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre. For the way they – well, most of them – had managed to keep their eyes open until lunchtime. The sincerity just about made it as far as the second row.
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