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Conservative leader David Cameron has said he wants to lead Britain in a "post-bureaucratic age".

In a speech to the country's business chiefs Mr Cameron said he believed the "days of big government are numbered", accusing ministers of "bureaucratic over-reach".

Pledging to cut the red tape facing businesses, the Tory chief claimed the regulatory burden on business had increased by £55 billion under Labour – adding the length of the country's tax code had more than doubled to become the longest in the world.

Mr Cameron also questioned the government's handling of taxpayers' money, suggesting some officials were being "deliberately extravagant" with public cash and attacking the Home Office's £800,000 a year bill for taxi cabs.

The Conservative leader, addressing the annual conference of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said the UK and its economy needed a "big change".

Outlining his party's plans to improve economic stability, Mr Cameron said Britain had been the only country in the world to see consumers queuing to withdraw their savings in the wake of the global credit squeeze.

He called for an urgent examination of the UK's banking regulations in the aftermath of the Northern Rock "disaster", stressing the current 'tripartite' system of financial regulation – overseen by the Treasury, Bank of England and Financial Services Authority (FSA) - was "clearly not working properly".

Mr Cameron also said action was needed to improve the nation's infrastructure and create a better climate for enterprise.

Referring to the chancellor's controversial plans to reform capital gains tax, the Conservative leader called on Alistair Darling to "resolve the uncertainty" over his proposals.

Under plans confirmed by the chancellor different rates of relief for different kinds of investment would be replaced by a single flat-rate of capital gains tax of 18 per cent - with the change set to come into force from April next year.

But the plans to reform capital gains tax have been met with concern within the business community, with industry leaders claiming the proposals will discourage long-term investment and risk-taking.

Commenting on the proposals, Mr Cameron said his party would continue to fight the chancellor's "tax hike" unless he "radically" altered his approach.

"The best thing he could do is stand up, admit he's made a mistake and abandon his ill-conceived plans," the Conservative chief stressed.

Mr Darling is due to address the same CBI conference today, with reports suggesting he may signal the possibility of some concessions to business over his capital gains tax reforms.