Lord Digby Jones says the Government needs to create the ‘right environment’ for businesses in the UK in order to help the economy prosper.
Appearing on GB News, the business titan said: “The government’s job is not to hand out money and to pick winners to whom they hand out the money. The government’s job is to create an environment in which businesses can get on and do the job and then get out of the way.

“They need to stop regulating everything to the point where for me, it’s not worth it. The amazingly difficult thing in politics is how do you raise enough money to pay for health care and education and all the others, but without frightening off people and companies

“You’ve got to have access to skilled people, you’ve got to have a political climate that says, ‘we’re behind you with you, were with you’ and you have to have ministers in all departments who say how can we help you and a trade minister who gets on his or her and bike gets out there and champion’s companies

Reflecting on his own time in Government, Mr Jones added: “When I was trade minister I was 50% in the Department of Business and 50% in the Foreign Office. Because of course overseas, you start at the embassy and what you need to do is get embassy officials on your case and understand business. I’m delighted that they’re going to get more science and innovation into the economy.”