A new poll has suggested deep rifts within the coalition on business issuesA new study conducted on behalf of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has suggested that members of the coalition government are divided on issues relating to business and workers' rights.

The ComRes poll found that while 87 per cent of Conservative MPs quizzed believed employment laws now favour workers rather than companies, 71 per cent of Liberal Democrat respondents felt the opposite was true.

"We are concerned about some of the gaps opening up between ministers and their parliamentary parties," BCC director general David Frost explained. "The UK's economic recovery depends on a stable government."

In addition, 70 per cent of Lib Dem participants said they want to see spending on infrastructure stay constant or increase, with just 27 per cent of Tory MPs in agreement.

Business secretary Vince Cable claimed in a recent interview with the Financial Times that the government's non-EU immigration cap is having a damaging impact on some UK firms, prompting questions about rifts within the coalition.

Posted by Cameron Thomson