BUSINESSES in Warwickshire will be waking up alarmed at the prospect of a hung parliament.
So says chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce Louise Bennett following the result of the General election.
She told The Observer: “We congratulate all of the MPs elected on our patch and we look forward to working with them in the coming weeks, months and years in ensuring that the voice of business in this area is heard in Westminster.
When you speak to companies across Coventry and Warwickshire, very few were in favour of yet another election and the fact that no clear Government has emerged will have alarmed businesses this morning.
“We have faced a long period of uncertainty, with two General Elections and the EU referendum in the space of two years, and that now continues as we wait to see who will form a Government.
“The number one priority has to be the formation of a Government that can provide the leadership necessary in dealing with the Brexit negotiations and driving our economy forward.
“We always urge our members to get on with the job in a ‘business as usual manner’ despite what is happening politically and we do that again today.
“However, a drawn out period of further uncertainty would be damaging and that is why we want to see a quick conclusion and a Government formed.”
And the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is calling for political stability and a delay to the beginning of Brexit talks in the wake of the result.
FSB Chairman for FSB Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull, Paul Miles Rogers, said: “In the coming hours and days, business needs immediate reassurance from the government that emerges about how it will protect the economy from any political turmoil. The UK must be seen to remain open for business, with a government committed to supporting enterprise.
“It is important to go into the Brexit talks from a position of strength, focused on getting the best deal possible for trade and access to workers and skills. Negotiations should be led by a government and a Prime Minister that will be in place for the duration, and so we call for a delay to the scheduled start of negotiations rather than a rush to begin in 11 days’ time. The need for a transition period now becomes even stronger, providing the time to get Brexit right.
“In the days ahead, FSB members will want to see ministers appointed and a clear timetable for the coming weeks. We are ready to work with the Government and all parties on what measures to bring forward.
“FSB secured a number of important commitments for small business in many of the party manifestos in this election, and we believe there will be strong support in the new Parliament for many of our asks – on business rates reform, on protecting the self-employed from unfair tax rises, and on tackling late payments by big companies to their small business suppliers.
“FSB has consistently engaged with major parties right across the political spectrum and will work positively and constructively with the Government that emerges, and MPs and Peers across all parties.”
