General Election 2015: Cameron defends criticism that Tories still neck and neck with Labour in polls

Speaking in Yeovil, the Prime Minister said: 'If you want political excitement, go to Greece'

David Cameron has told critics who accused him of running a lacklustre election campaign that he is not participating in show business .

The Conservative leader is under fire from Tories who had expected to open up a clear lead on the Labour Party by this stage in the campaign. With 10 days to go, the polls still show the two main parties neck and neck.

Two former donors, Hugh Osmond, co-founder of Pizza Express, who has given the Tories £115,000; and Peter Hall, an investment manager who has donated £600,000, aired their criticisms about Mr Cameron’s handling of the campaign in The Sunday Times. “I see no powerful vision of the future provided by David Cameron,” Mr Hall said – although he later issued a statement repudiating his comments.

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Speaking in Yeovil, the Prime Minister said: “If you want political excitement, go to Greece. If you want more showbiz, go to Hollywood. But here and now in the UK I’m focused on something real – a stronger economy, something that excites millions more: more jobs more homes, more business, more childcare, more security in retirement. I make no apologies for focusing on that which is central to everything.”

Mr Cameron was launching the Conservative manifesto for small business, which is intended to push up the number of new businesses starting every year to 600,000 by 2020, compared with under 347,000 in 2013.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy – and Conservatives are behind them 100 per cent. We are the party of the grafters and the roofers and the retailers and the plumbers,” Mr Cameron said. The manifesto commits the Conservatives to retaining the employment allowance that will exempt 450,000 new businesses from paying any taxes, and to a major review of business rates.

Conservative Party officials said the launch marked the start of a week in which all of their campaigning will focus on the economy.