Conservatives plan a letter from small business supporters in a last-ditch effort to influence the election

The Conservative Party will today release a letter signed by scores of small business owners in a last-ditch effort to convince undecided voters of their economic stewardship ahead of the general election.

The letter, which is expected to be published on the last day before the election, is said to have been signed by between 100 and 150 SME bosses. The signatories claim their businesses would suffer under a Labor government.

While the exact contents of the letter and the names of those who signed it were not revealed on Tuesday, insiders described the move as a critical attempt to counter Labour’s recent momentum. Labor issued several letters during the campaign, backed by business people, although one such letter was criticized for mentioning only one FTSE-100 chairman or CEO, Andrew Higginson of JD Sports Fashion.

One SME owner, who refused to sign the Conservative letter, expressed surprise that the party had not highlighted the differences between the Conservatives and Labor more effectively, particularly on potential changes to capital gains tax.

Letters of support from business leaders have become a common part of British political campaigns, with the Conservatives historically receiving significant support from prominent figures. However, the lack of such support in this campaign is seen as an indication of the party’s poor performance in the polls and its recent governance performance.

The Conservative Party has not yet responded to the letter.