The Conservatives on Tuesday unveiled a package of measures the party claims will cut red tape making it the champions of small businesses.

In "Common Sense for Small Business" the party says it will introduce business rate cuts worth £200 million and axe the controversial IR35 tax clause, which affects self employed contractors primarily in the IT sector, if it wins the election.

Largely consisting of reannouncements, the other measures pledged by the party include the establishment of an independent deregulation commission with the power to block regulations, introducing longer lead-in times for business legislation and a commitment to pay the working families tax credit as a benefit.

David Heathcoat Amory, the Conservative shadow trade and industry secretary, said: "Extra red tape and government regulation are squeezing the entrepreneurial life out of this country. It is particularly damaging to small businesses which are often run by people with little time or inclination to engage in lengthy consultation exercises with government.

"Even when businesses are consulted the government doesn't listen. Tony Blair demonstrated his disregard for the views of business by announcing a new right to paid paternity leave before the consultation period had even ended. Our approach will be about getting government off the back of business and allowing enterprise to flourish," he said.

The British Chamber of Commerce, which launched its own election manifesto on Monday, has urged all parties to tackle the rising tax and regulatory burden on business, including measures to simplify the tax system.

The organisation's president, Anthony Goldstone, gave his list of priorities for helping small businesses.

"The most important priority for any government is to create the right conditions for business, our wealth creators, to thrive. We need to tackle the fundamentals - low skills levels, lack of business investment, a dilapidated transport infrastructure and the regulatory burden on small firms," he said.