John McCain is hoping that a focus on job creation will trump Barack Obama’s promise of a $1,000 tax credit for middle-class Americans in the battle for blue-collar voters.

He argues that workers will ultimately be the main beneficiaries of his plan to cut the cor­porate tax rate from 35 to 25 per cent, promote free trade and make the Bush tax cuts permanent. At the same time, Mr McCain will seek to rebut claims that his plan would increase the bud­get deficit by emphasising his toughness on spending.