POLITICS: Tories aim to strike chord with industry.

Conservatives to recruit industry figures to formulate policy and attack Labour track record

By Robert Ashton

The CONSERVATIVE PARTY IS looking to consolidate its poll lead by slamming the Government's record on helping the music industry and recruiting three power-players from within it to help formulate its creative policy.

In a move that is likely to pick up votes from record labels to radio stations, Shadow Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt says Gordon Brown's party has not done enough to help the music business cope with piracy.

Further, he pans Labour's recent performance with copyright term extension.

Speaking exclusively to Music Week, Hunt says "No, I don't think the Government has done enough. Piracy has been around for a while, but frustratingly it has done nothing and term was very disappointing for the music industry."

Believing the music and creative industries - if treated well - can actually pull the UK out of recession, Hunt also criticised Lord Carter's Digital Britain process as being "weak on action".