BUSINESS should set up a working party to work with Kent and Medway MPs.

That was the message from Derek Wyatt, Labour MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey, at a seminar that featured business leaders and two other MPs, Jonathan Shaw (Chatham and Aylesford) and Roger Gale (Thanet North).

Mr Wyatt said such a group would enable suggestions about tax changes to be put to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in a more concerted way.

The seminar, held at The Russell Hotel in Maidstone, was sponsored by accounting firm McCabe Ford Williams.

Managing partner Peter Frowde, said: "The working party idea was a good one and we will be looking at ways in which this might be achieved."

Mr Wyatt said that if business lobbied their local MPs then they in turn could lobby Gordon Brown in advance of his budget.

Mr Frowde added: "The event was a success and we will most certainly be doing it again. We are looking to get involved with the Kent branch of the Institute of Directors so that we have a wider cross-section of business interests from which to extract ideas and support."