Mr Osborne’s announcent came as the party’s leader David Cameron unveiled the "the biggest, boldest programme to get Britain working that this country has ever seen".

The shadow chancellor told the party’s Manchester conference: "Any new business created in the first two years of a Conservative Government will pay no tax on the new people they employ.

"We will waive employer national insurance on the first 10 people created in any new business.

"We reckon this will create 60,000 new jobs in the first period of a new Government."

The message would be: "Invest here, set up your business here, come and make your enterprise here and we will support you.

"We will send a message loud and clear that this country is open for business."

Mr Osborne said the tax cut would be funded by savings to be announced during the remainder of the conference. He added: "It will be a huge boost to enterprise."

Meanwhile, Mr Cameron said the party’s policies aimed to tackle what he called "a jobs crisis.”

It included a new promise to waive employer national insurance on the first 10 employees of any new business created within the first two years of a Tory government, which shadow chancellor George Osborne said could create 60,000 jobs.

Other announcements included a chain of technical schools in England's biggest cities, 10,000 extra university places and a check-up on every Incapacity Benefit claimant to see whether they are really unfit to work.

The announcements came against a continued backdrop of internal disagreement over Europe, with London Mayor Boris Johnson and right-wing MP Andrew Rosindell both suggesting that there could be a referendum even if the EU's Lisbon Treaty is ratified by all 27 member states by the time a Conservative government comes to power.

Mr Cameron has promised a referendum only if one or more EU state has not ratified. Foreign Secretary David Miliband today put pressure on him to spell out what he means when he said that he will not "let matters rest" if ratification is complete.

The Tory leader did not address the European issue in a brief speech to the party conference in Manchester to launch his Get Britain Working package.

Instead, he sought to seize control of issues traditionally seen as Labour's home territory, telling activists the Conservatives must be "not just the party of the NHS, not just the party of the environment but the party of jobs and enterprise here in Britain in 2009".

He said also warned his party against complacency if they are to win the General Election. He said: "Some people said to me: just come to Manchester, keep your head down and let Labour lose the next election.

"My friends, let this be the week when we don't just let Labour lose the election but we show we deserve to go out and win it.

"Not just because we cannot afford to be complacent; not just because, as you have been told, to win the next election we have to win more seats at one election than we have done at any time in the last 70 years.”