David Cameron pledged to revive manufacturing and help new businesses set up at a political debate in the Black Country.

The Tory leader was grilled on a range of policy issues by a panel of undecided voters for the BBC’s Politics Show at King Edward VI College in Stourbridge.

Among them was father-of-one Paul Wynn, aged 46, from Dudley, who was made redundant from West Bromwich metal finishing firm Atotech last year.

The 46-year-old wanted to know yesterday what a Conservative Government would do to support existing companies in the West Midlands as well as people looking to start their own small company.

Mr Cameron said it was a priority to cut the rate of corporation tax to lessen the burden on struggling firms.

He added: “Any new business that starts up shouldn’t have to pay tax or National Insurance for the first 10 employees.“The jobs have got to come from the public sector. The Government cannot go on spending and wasting as it is now.”

He said while he believed the UK should be in the EU because it was important for trade, particularly in areas such as the Black Country, he wanted some powers to be returned to the UK.