FORMER Tory chairman Lord Parkinson has accused Chancellor Gordon Brown of introducing ‘‘anti-business’’ measures.

The 70-year-old peer, who served as Secretary of State for Energy, Transport and Trade and Industry under Margaret Thatcher, was speaking during a visit to Manchester as non-executive chairman of the Manson Group, an insurance broker based in the city.

Lord Parkinson said Britain did not need to join the euro. ‘‘I never bought the argument that, outside it, we are bound to fail.

‘‘Britain sets its own interest rates policies which meet its particular needs. That flexibility has stood us in very good stead.’’

He said businesses were beginning to feel the impact of Chancellor Gordon Brown’s tax changes on pension funds.

In his first Budget, Mr Brown abolished the tax credits paid to pension funds. Lord Parkinson said this had boosted the Treasury coffers by £6.5bn, but had hit investment.

Regulation

He added: ‘‘The private sector is being put under huge pressure, with increased regulation and increased trade union rights.

‘‘The climate in which business is operating has been very severely disrupted by a lot of government actions.

‘‘Some of the things the Chancellor has done are really very anti- business.’’

Lord Parkinson has been chairman of the Manson Group for three years and a non-executive director for 10.

The business has grown to notch fee income of more than £3m, on premiums of £30m, in the year to August 31. Its healthcare intermediary business has grown to one of the biggest in the country.

The group, which celebrates its 30th anniversary next month, is looking for acquisitions.

Lord Parkinson is also chairman and director of several other medium-sized businesses.

He predicts tough times for Tony Blair’s administration.

‘‘I think things are going to go badly for the government in terms of public services. They will face a lot of public anger over health and education,’’ he said.

‘‘They were a brilliant opposition, yet they have no policies except to throw more money at the NHS and anything that isn’t working.

‘‘People will start looking for an alternative.’’