Chancellor: Set to address CBI dinner

Gordon Brown will tonight seek to reassure business that the government is intent on making Britain the most business-friendly country in the world.

The chancellor will address the CBI annual dinner in London in his first major speech since the general election.

CBI president John Sunderland will tell Brown: "You have assured business that you have no intention of adding further to the significant taxation burdens which have already been imposed on business over the last eight years - an incremental £43bn. Be certain, we'll hold you to that assurance."

The Treasury chief can be expected to say that he will do nothing to jeopardise the UK's economic stability.

But businesses have been concerned by the recent decision of Labour MEPs to support an end to Britain's opt-out from the EU's working time directive, which caps weekly working hours.

While encouraged by recent comments from Tony Blair that the MEPs' decision was "wrong" and "completely misguided", Sunderland will say: "An individual's right to work, when and how they choose, should be inalienable.

"We elect politicians to represent us, not to deny us choices. How on earth did we get to a position when my right to work, when and for how long I choose, could become illegal?"

"As the Labour Party business manifesto said: 'Business has a responsibility to make profits'," he will add.

"And we want the freedom to do just that.  Business is the major source of wealth creation in our society.

"We still provide most of the jobs, most of the taxes which fund our public services."