No labour pains

The swing in support from finance directors from Conservative to Labour since the last election is testimony to the strong perception among them that Gordon Brown has handled the economy well since 1997.

The findings in this week’s Accountancy Age/Reed Personnel Big Question come after last week’s survey revealed more than half of FDs surveyed, 53%, thought Brown would make the best company finance director.

It was a ringing endorsement and made even more telling by the fact that shadow chancellor Michael Portillo scored only 14%.

‘What Gordon Brown has done in the last few years has made sense. He looks at costs closely. He also looks like an FD,’ said Sanja Chandi, FD of Diners Club International.

However, there has been concern with politics in general. A survey published on 18 May revealed that 61% of FDs thought the interests of business were being ignored in the general election campaign.