A SURVEY has found that the majority of Derbyshire businesses believe that none of the mainstream political parties represent their interests.

Nearly seven out of 10 small firms in the county who took part in the research, by price comparison service Make It Cheaper, said they were disillusioned with Labour, the Conservatives and the Lib Dems.

The survey, which quizzed 62 Derbyshire firms, also found that Prime Minister Gordon Brown had the support of fewer than a fifth of them.

It found that 42% described their outlook for the forthcoming financial year as depressing with no sign of their business picking up.

More than half said they would make it their first priority to implement better tax breaks for small businesses if they were Prime Minister.

Managing director of Make It Cheaper Jonathan Elliott said: "Rhetoric from all political parties is failing to hide the lack of sufficient help available to these businesses, the life blood of the British economy, to reduce their cost base."