Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg delivered a speech to the British Chambers of Commerce this week at their annual conference. Read the transcript on his views on Britain’s economic position, shocking unemployment figures, where he sees a solution and more here.

Now that I’ve got your attention I’m going to take you through why this is a true statement and such an enormous real opportunity for startups.  And it’s down to what the new technology and the people who get it are enabling.

Public Sector borrowing in December 2011 is finally improving, reducing to £13.7bn in comparison to December 2010's figure of £15.9bn.

A new report released today by the Institute of Economic Affairs, No Case for Plan B – Lessons for the Great Recession from the Great Depression, argues that any switch to a Plan B on the economy which involves more government borrowing will not boost growth and will instead simply increase government debt.

Yesterdays Autumn budget statement was turned into the 'mini budget' that George Osborne didn't want to have to make. With economic growth for 2011 revised down to 0.9% from 1.7% and the 2012 forecast revised down to 0.7% from 2.5%, the Chancellor had little room to manoeuvre, being forced to implement a 1% cap on public sector pay rises for two years after the end of current freeze next year.

Irwin Jacobs, the founder of Qualcomm, the semiconductor firm with a $85 billion market capitalisation, once said, "QualComm is still a start-up and always will be - just a start-up with really good cashflow." Jacobs' credentials in building companies and industries are without question; he's probably one of two dozen individuals worldwide who has built a company with that valuation as the CEO and founder.

 Almost a third (31%) of UK Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) are retaining higher cash reserves, rather than re-investing revenue back into the business or returning monies to investors, according to new research from Robert Half Management Resources, specialist in interim accounting and finance recruitment.

One in five young people who have recently graduated from University are currently out of work, the highest proportion of 21-24 year olds for 15 years . With limited job options available, the notion of becoming an entrepreneur is becoming increasingly attractive. This is especially the case for University graduates, where unemployment rates are 3% higher than non-graduates . Enticed by thoughts of job satisfaction, freedom and personal success, more and more graduates and young people are taking the plunge and starting up their own businesses.

Business leaders are urging the Chancellor to stick to current deficit reduction plans in his autumn statement and consider specific measures to kick-start growth by unlocking private sector investment and removing "road blocks". It comes as the CBI publishes its latest economic forecast.

A Government investment of £950 million will help create and safeguard more than 200,000 jobs across England, the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will announce today.