One in two finance directors are braced for a rise in corporate tax rates after the next election in spite of widespread calls for cuts, a survey has found.

The results of the poll were “a resounding call for help from the business community”, according to Grant Thornton, the professional services firm. Francesca Lagerberg, head of tax, said businesses feared that the state of the public finances would trigger tax rises that would damage the UK’s competitiveness.