A significant majority of British enterprises are 'disillusioned and disappointed' with the prime minister, a study by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has revealed.

Timed to coincide with Gordon Brown's first year anniversary in office, the research found that 96 percent of the 9,000 SMEs questioned have lost their faith in the government after it was deemed that a number of recent legislative changes are likely to hinder their growth.

Alongside tax issues, business leaders are concerned about the future implications of the government's recent decision to go against their wishes and offer greater rights to temporary and agency workers.

The FSB's Stephen Alambritis added: "Number 10’s love affair with big business is continuing. The big petrol companies, the supermarkets, are getting the ear of government [and] Gordon Brown seems to have his favourites."

Despite this disaffection, business leaders have revealed to the Financial Times that they have yet to be convinced that the Conservative leader would represent an improvement, with the director-general of the Institute of Directors claiming that, while his party has started to engage with businesses "they've proposed very few specific policies".