MAIL ONLINE: The Tories were today forced to defend their manifesto before it was even launched after a stinging assault on immigration policy.
Just hours before David Cameron unveils his make-or-break election blueprint, plans to curb the number of migrants were savaged by business leaders.
London First, the City lobby group that represents many of London's biggest companies and banks, claims the move would threaten British competitiveness at a time when the economy is still in the early stages of recovery.
In a separate attack, the party had to defend itself against accusations it had played the 'race card' by pledging to reduce immigration to levels last seen in the mid-1990s.
Baroness Jo Valentine, London First's chief executive, said members feared the proposals had been put forward to 'appease the populist vote' with little thought for the longterm consequences.
'How we build our links with the Far East and the Bric (Brazil, Russia, India and China) economies is absolutely fundamental to London's future,' she told The Financial Times.
'Irritating the Chinese and Indians would not be clever.' Tories forced to deny playing 'race card' amid business chiefs' stinging attack on immigration policy >>> James Chapman | Tuesday, April 13, 2010
