Election 2015: Tory Stephen Crabb welcomes business backing

Stephen Crabb (right) leads a Conservative election campaign event in St Asaph

Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb has welcomed an open letter from 100 business leaders backing the Conservatives' economic policies.

Malcolm Walker, boss of Flintshire-based Iceland Foods, is among those warning that a Labour government would "threaten jobs and deter investment".

Labour dismissed the letter, published by the Daily Telegraph, as no surprise.

Mr Crabb, campaigning in St Asaph, said Tory policies were delivering "real positive fruit" across the country.

'Work hard'

"Businesses have come together to say, 'we don't need to be abandoning this plan - we need to stick with the government that we've got that's taken difficult decisions and put in place a foundation for strong economic recovery'," he told BBC Wales on Wednesday.

"There are a great many names there who've started out in life with very little - they know what it is to work hard, to build up a business and to see that business grow," Mr Crabb added.

"They know that the policies that we've set out for the country are the right ones for business growth."

Duncan Bannatyne, Baroness Karren Brady, Sir Cameron Mackintosh and Carphone Warehouse founder Sir Charles Dunstone were among the business leaders who signed the letter.

Malcolm Walker is among business leaders warning that Labour would 'threaten jobs'