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The run-up to the conference has been overshadowed by a row over comments made by a minister about P&O Ferries.<\/p>\n
A \u00a31bn investment in the London Gateway container port by P&O Ferries owner DP World appeared to be in doubt after Transport Secretary Louise Haigh described the ferry company as a “rogue operator” in a government press release. <\/p>\n
Haigh was publicly rebuked by the prime minister, and DP World will now be attending the conference, along with the bosses of investment giants such as Blackrock and L&G.<\/p>\n
On Monday, DP World confirmed that the \u00a31bn investment in London Gateway would go ahead, adding it would create 400 new jobs and make it the UK’s largest container port within five years.<\/p>\n
Australian firm Macquarie, which has been blamed for saddling Thames Water with unsustainable debts when it was its biggest shareholder, is promising to invest \u00a320bn in the UK over the next five years, including an electric car charging network.<\/p>\n
The conference is taking place at London’s Guildhall, and will feature keynote speeches from both the prime minister and Chancellor Rachel Reeves.<\/p>\n
In his speech, Sir Keir will say he will \u201cdo everything in my power to galvanise growth including getting rid of regulation that needlessly holds back investment\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere it is stopping us building the homes, the data centres, warehouses, grid connectors, roads, trainlines, you name it… we will get rid of it.”<\/p>\n
The government will ask the UK’s competition watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority, to prioritise growth, investment and innovation.<\/p>\n
While the government is seeking to be pro-business, citing growing the economy as its top priority, it is also aiming to strike a balance by being pro-worker as well.<\/p>\n
Last week, it published details of a planned overhaul of workers’ rights, which would see people being able to get sick pay from the first day they are ill and claim unpaid parental leave as soon as they start a job.<\/p>\n
However, some business groups are concerned about how the changes will work in practice, and there are fears some may put off hiring new staff.<\/p>\n
The Federation of Small Businesses, whose members employ up to 250 workers, described the plans as “clumsy, chaotic and poorly planned”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/picture><\/span>BBC <\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n