David Cameron visits Norwich jewellers and evades man dressed as a chicken

The prime minister was in Rackheath to launch his small business pledge for the upcoming election.

Share Email this article to a friend To send a link to this page you must be logged in.

Chicken run Mr Cameron was delayed leaving the industrial unit by 30 minutes while staff hatched a plan on how to avoid a man in a chicken costume, carrying a placard reading “Don’t be a chicken Mr Cameron: join the TV debate”. Eventually Mr Cameron’s staff left in his official car, while the prime minister left through another exit as police looked on. The stunt organised by the Daily Mirror started last week in response to Mr Cameron’s refusal to take part in televised leaders’ debates unless the Green Party was included. One of Mr Cameron’s aides said the prime minister retorted: “It should have been a turkey as we’re in Norfolk.”

Last week he was attending top level international meetings with the world’s most powerful man, Barack Obama.

But yesterday David Cameron was near Norwich to meet a jewellery entrepreneur and make a trinket for his 11-year-old daughter’s birthday.

Mr Cameron was Norfolk as he visited East Anglia to launch his election pledge to boost employment and support small businesses.

Mr Cameron visited Lisa Angel’s jewellery business on the Rackheath Industrial Estate, and promised to help small business owners through Start Up Loans.

Prime minister’s answers On the energy industry: • “There are some industries that face particular challenges. In terms of the North Sea we have already made tax reductions in the Autumn Statement that will help.” • “There are real opportunities for East Anglia in terms of green energy and you have seen very consistent investment from this government.” On if there will be a woman prime minister in the next decade: • “I would not be at all surprised.” • “Here in Norwich we have the very talented Chloe Smith. When I became leader we had 17 women Conservative MPs and now we have over 50.” • “Women have been under-represented and what is exciting now is we are a seeing a change.” On increasing NHS funding: • “We have said no cuts to the NHS so the budget is protected. If we do in the next parliament what we did in the last that will mean increases in the NHS budget.” • “You can only have this funding for the health service if you have a strong economy. If the economy does well we can invest more.” On low wage growth: • “It is important that we create full time and well paid jobs. Nine out of 10 jobs created in the last year have been full time jobs.” • “We should be helping people who are in work and on relatively low incomes by cutting their taxes which is what we are doing. We have raised the amount you can earn before you pay tax to £10,000.”

He congratulated Mrs Angel for her eponymous venture, which now employs 40 people.

Mrs Angel said: “We found out late on Sunday that the prime minister would be visiting.

“We kept it a surprise for our staff and everyone was really shocked when David Cameron walked in the doors.”

She added: “He was really down to earth and he spoke to all the staff.”

He was invited to try his hand at engraving a necklace as it was his daughter Nancy’s 11th birthday.

As he was engraving the necklace, his lettering went astray, and he remarked that he did not think it would be her favourite present and that he “needed some more practice”.

Earlier in the day Mr Cameron was in Ipswich where he announced that at least 50,000 extra entrepreneurs would be given the opportunity of a loan to help start their businesses.

Government figures show that 25,000 start up loans have been issued – 1,689 in the East of England, with almost half of the recipients of the loans previously unemployed.

Mr Cameron said: “Other parties preach about this sort of stuff; but we’re the ones who really deliver. That’s why we began Start Up Loans – to help people with a smart idea make their first sale.

“And in the next parliament, we’re going to treble it.”

Talking about his visit, the prime minister said: “The reason I’m here is because the economy of the east of England is so important to the economy of Great Britain.”

He added: “People talk about jobs being created in the south east and London but actually here in the eastern region almost a quarter of a million more people are in work than when I became prime minister.”

Lisa Angel’s business: From lounge to multi-million pounds

Ten years ago, Lisa Angel started her jewellery business on her living room floor as she did not have a kitchen table, and she would have to sell her car to raise enough funds to set up her online business.

Yesterday the 41-year-old welcomed the prime minister to her unit on the Rackheath Industrial Estate.

She started out at weekends in the Forum, then moved to Chapelfield in 2006 and now has a store in the Norwich Lanes on Lower Goat Lane as well as a thriving online store.

Mrs Angel said: “It would been really useful to have these loans when I started. I had to sell my car to get enough start up funds.”

Today sales stand at £2.2m and are expected to reach more than £3m in the next year.