The public infighting between Labour and the Alliance is creating more uncertainty and concern among the business community, Opposition Finance spokesperson Bill English said today.

"Helen Clark's attempts to produce a more business friendly face are running into inevitable difficulty as Labour tries to blame the Alliance for its own bad policies. The Government is now openly split, between Labour advocating bad policy for business and the Alliance advocating even worse policy.

"A squabbling Government with no direction is worse than a united Government heading in the wrong direction.

"We've got Helen Clark making soothing noises to business, and Jim Anderton telling them they've had it too good for too long. Michael Cullen is trying to earn back the support of the Government's critics by attacking them one at a time instead of all at once.

"Some people in business have been relying on Labour's Pete Hodgson for a friendly ear but his version of listening was to attack the Employers and Manufacturers Association at the weekend.

"Small and medium sized businesses need certainty and clarity from Government not public splits and personal attacks.

"The Government claims the Budget will be a bridge building one - but all we've seen to date is the Government dismantling the bridges.

"Instead of public positioning and infighting the two parties should be putting the effort into delivering a Budget that will restore confidence because low confidence means fewer jobs."

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