FORMER Conservative party leader William Hague called for a halt to the rising taxes and red tape harming businesses when he visited Tunbridge Wells on Tuesday.

The ebullient MP for Richmond was in town to address local captains of industry at the invitation of constituency Tory MP Archie Norman, Mr Hague's former shadow environment spokesman.

Mr Hague said: "I think business people are very worried about the growth of regulation from Brussels and Westminster, which is hitting smaller businesses in particular.

"It seems that slowly, year by year, it's getting more difficult for them to cope, and we have to try to make sure that there isn't so much red tape stifling their efforts."

Mr Hague said he was also concerned at the boom in public sector jobs while the private sector found itself being increasingly squeezed by taxes.

But he made it clear he had no ambition to return to the head of the party he led seven years ago, preferring to speak his mind from the backbenches.

He said: "The only thing that perhaps I do miss is the debate across the floor of the Commons at Prime Minister's question time. Someone had to do the nightshift for the Conservative Party in opposition, and that was my slot. I've no regrets about standing down."

Mr Hague spoke to West Kent businessmen at a gathering held at the New Wellington Hotel, Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells. Later he dined at the nearby High Rocks Inn.

He was critical of the Government over public transport, claiming its record of setting up regulators and then getting rid of them had left the rail industry "bewildered" and unable to get on with its job.

And he said that trying to tax motorists off the roads without adequate public transport in place as an alternative was foolish.

He also highlighted slow progress on improving key routes, most notably in West Kent the A21 trunk road, where proposed dual carriageways were still awaited.

Mr Hague believed there was still all to play for at the next General Election. He said: "No one has it done and dusted, and I think the Conservatives can and will mount a strong challenge."