BCC delegates go home happy

BCC conference: Probably business's last chance before the general election to address political leaders

By BBC News Online's Bob Trevelyan at the BCC conference in London

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) on Wednesday wrapped up its annual conference following one-and-a-half days of good-natured debate with politicians and an unprecedented show of unity among rival business groups.

BCC's Chris Humphries: Hard act to follow

Several hundred delegates from regional chambers gave a warm reception to the Prime Minister Tony Blair who took time off from the foot-and-mouth crisis to defend his government's record on the economy and declare the countryside open for business.

Delegates also heard speeches from Conservative party leader William Hague and Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy, who set out their agenda for business ahead of an expected general election campaign.

DeAnne Julius, a member of the Bank of England's rate setting body, told the conference she saw "ample scope" for cuts in UK interest rates, pleasing delegates, who consider some of her colleagues unresponsive to the needs of business.

Coup

The conference had opened with a joint presentation by the directors general of the BCC, Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and Institute of Directors (IoD) in which they called for government action on five key issues: Red tape, skills, transport, e-business and tax.

It was the first time the leaders of the three groups had appeared on the same platform together (never mind agreed so closely on what their members wanted) and was regarded as something of a coup for outgoing BCC director general Chris Humphries.

The leaders side-stepped questions about the possibility of a merger of their groups but the matiness of Mr Humphries, the CBI's Digby Jones and the IoD's George Cox was clear.

The only discordant note in the proceedings came with the inevitable disruptions caused by mobile phones, causing Mr Blair to joke that if that was Gordon calling, he could assure him the figures he had quoted were correct as they came from Gordon's own calculations.

New director general

Delegates said Australia-born Mr Humphries - the director general designate of City & Guilds - would be a hard act to follow.

Closing the conference, BCC president Anthony Goldstone introduced Mr Humphries' successor, David Lennan, who is expected to take over in June.

Mr Lennan, a banker for much of his career, joins the BCC from Surrey County Council where, as corporate development director, he oversaw a wide-ranging revamp of the council's information technology systems.

Those keen on a merger of the UK's main business groups will be hoping that the new-found spirit of co-operation among them is not overly dependent on the chemistry of their present leaders.