About Cambridge Labour in Business
Aims
Cambridge Labour in Business was set up as an informal group of people in business and supporters of the Labour Party. The original aim was to meet on an ad hoc basis to discuss political issues which are relevant to people in business. The group is not an official party organisation, participators do not need to be party members and we reserve the right to be critical if the party get it wrong!
 
History
The group was formed during the 1992 election campaign in response to a letter by 'top businessmen' in the The Times giving their support to the Tory Party. Andrew Webster, a tax consultant in Cambridge wrote a letter to the The Guardian saying that many people in businesses now supported the Labour Party. Several of his clients, and the Labour candidate Anne Campbell saw the letter and gave their support and it was decided to start a group so that business support for the party would be more widely known.

Since the original formation of the group the idea that the Labour Party should support business has become a commonplace. Whilst we cannot take credit for the change we are pleased to have been an early part of the movement.

Past speakers to the group have included:
Anne Campbell, MP for Cambridge
Robin Cook, MP, when he was shadow DTi spokesman (now Foreign Secretary)
Alistair Darling, MP
Doug Henderson, MP
Derek Fatchett, MP
Simon Deakins, Peterhouse, Cambridge University
Professor Stephen Heppell, Director ULTRALAB, Anglia Polytechnic University
 
The Future
The group has now refocused its aims as we now have a Labour government. We now see our role in the local community to promote a dialogue between local businesses, local government and central government. Effective democracy requires that politicians and local government officials know the needs and concerns of businesses and their employees; and, similarly, that business directors, managers and employees know the plans of local and central government. It is access to comprehensive and reliable information that allows people to make informed, representative decisions.
 
On the Internet
Recognising that the Internet offers a superb medium for conveying and co-ordinating information, we have created a web site to serve as a focus for information relating to business, especially in the Cambridge region.
 
Who's involved
Anne Campbell, MP for Cambridge
Phil Scott, Anne Campbell's agent
Andrew Webster, Founder of Labour in Business
Edward Leigh, Web Site Manager