PRIME Minister David Cameron has pledged his Government will do everything it can to support North-East business.

In a video message to the annual North-East Economic Forum conference, held at the Hilton Hotel, in Gateshead, on Thursday, Mr Cameron told business leaders: "The Government will do everything we can to support you: from tax to regulation, skills to welfare, bank lending to trade: we're looking at everything we can do to make it easier for businesses to set up, easier to take people on and easier for companies to grow."

He continued: "Government itself won't create the jobs we need. You are the doers and the grafters who'll get this country back on its feet - the people who'll get our economy growing again.

"But we will be behind you every step of the way, as the most pro-business, pro-growth Government in living memory. That is my pledge to you today."

Tory grandee Lord Heseltine, Liberal Democrat Local Government minister Andrew Stunnell and Labour's Lord Mandelson and David Miliband also addressed the conference.