Boris Johnson has
promised to deliver Brexit and repay the trust of voters after he led the
Conservatives to a general election win.
The prime minister
has a Commons majority of 78, with one seat still to declare, and said he would
work "flat out" and lead a "people's government".
The response from
industry has been positive that the PM now has a clear majority and striong
mandate to move forward. However, many point out that it is not just Brexit the
new Government needs to deliver with plenty of issues stacking up for it to
tackle as a matter of urgency.
RIBA
President, Alan Jones, said: “Many people will remember this as the
‘Brexit election’. The Conservatives must now deliver on their promise to
resolve the political crisis which has been paralysing wider society and the
economy.
"The RIBA has
been clear that this involves developing trade deals which allow practices to
access talent, goods and services, and will welcome further detail on how this
will be achieved.
"The new
government must bring the country together by turning promises into action. We
need critical investment to solve the housing crisis through high-quality
planning and homes, initiatives to tackle climate change and complete reform of
our fire and building safety regulations to keep people safe.
The result must draw
a line under years of crippling uncertainty that has been so toxic for UK
construction, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
Brian Berry, Chief
Executive of the FMB, said: “The new Conservative Government has a golden
opportunity to sort out Brexit and set out its new vision for the UK. Building
the homes and infrastructure that this country needs has to be a key priority
to help drive the economy forward.
“The Government
needs to back the nation’s army of small builders, by delivering on the
promised £3bn National Skills Fund, investing in quality through a licensing
scheme for the whole UK construction industry, and supporting local builders to
retrofit the millions of homes that need to be upgraded to low carbon.”
Carolyn
Fairbairn, CBI Director-General, congratulated Boris Johnson and the
Conservative Party on the result.
"After
three years of gridlock, the Prime Minister has a clear mandate to
govern," she added. "Businesses across the UK urge him to use it to
rebuild confidence in our economy and break the cycle of uncertainty.
“Employers
share the Prime Minister’s optimism for the UK and are ready to play a leading
role. They can bring the innovation, investment and jobs for a new era of
inclusive growth. The biggest issues of our times – from tackling climate
change to reskilling the workforce for new technologies – can only be delivered
through real partnership between government and business.
“The
starting point must be rebuilding business confidence, and early reassurance on
Brexit will be vital. Firms will continue to do all they can to prepare for
Brexit, but will want to know they won’t face another no deal cliff-edge next
year. Pro-enterprise policies on immigration, infrastructure, innovation and
skills, will help relaunch the UK on the world stage.
“Despite
recent challenges, the UK remains a great place to start and build a business.
A new contract between enterprise and government can make the UK a global
magnet for investment, powering higher productivity and living standards across
the UK.”
British Chambers of
Commerce Director General Dr Adam Marshall said restoring business, investor
and consumer confidence – and firing up the economy – must now be the Prime
Minister’s top priority.
“Campaign slogans
must give way to a renewed focus on the details that matter," he
continued. "Our business communities need to see swift, decisive action to
avoid a messy and disorderly exit from the EU and to tackle the barriers
holding back investment and growth here in the UK.”
Businesses’
priorities for the new government include:
- Avoiding a no-deal
exit from the EU and delivering a smooth transition giving firms time to
prepare.
- Acting rapidly to
reform business rates and replace them with a fairer system.
- Pressing ahead with
improvements to transport infrastructure including HS2,Nothern Powerhouse Rail
and additional capacity at Heathrow.
- Investing in our
skills base and reforming the Apprenticeships Levy so that more small firms can
access high-quality training locally, at affordable cost.
- Delivering a
sensible immigration system that gives firms access to essential overseas
talent at all levels.
Stephen Phipson,
Chief Executive of Make UK, said: "Uncertainty and delay have caused great
damage and manufacturers will hope this result means that the skies can now
begin to clear.
"The recent
focus on Brexit and the absence of bandwidth in Government has meant that there
has been little movement on many vital policy issues and there remains work to
do before industry can turn on the taps of investment.
"The first job
is the urgent need to begin negotiations on our future trading relationship
with Europe, cementing frictionless trade, access to key skills, regulatory
alignment and space for business to prepare for new arrangements. Manufacturing
exports are one of the powerhouses of our economy and we must allow them to
flourish.
"At the same
time we call on the Prime Minister to set out a vision for the future of our
economy which allies a re-invigorated plan for modern industrial transformation
and growth with how we are going to tackle the immense societal challenges such
as digitisation and climate change.
"Today is a new
start and we hope that the Prime Minister and his Government get down to work
with a matter of urgency to promote growth, investment and skilled jobs across
the whole of the UK. We stand ready to work together in partnership to archive
these aims."
The
National Federation of Builders (NFB) hopes it is a signal for the nation to
get moving again after a prolonged period of inertia.
The
election result has taken the nation closer to ending Brexit uncertainty and
restoring business confidence, while ensuring that a programme for legislation
can go through the House of Commons. NFB members have experienced a challenging
period thanks to building projects being delayed until Brexit certainty was
restored, so it is to be hoped that the wheels of industry will begin turning
again.
Members
of the NFB are particularly looking forward to seeing what plans the Government
has on late payment, fixing the broken planning process, home ownership, social
housing and procurement reform. Addressing these issues will once again make
building and construction the engine room of the nation’s economy.
Richard
Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said: “We are well overdue a period of
certainty and stability so businesses can thrive. The date of 31 January 2020
is not far away and the Government must redouble its efforts to make sure all
industries and businesses are fully represented in planning for either a
transition period or no deal.
“The
Brexit deadlock has negatively impacted the productivity of construction and
housebuilding but our members will be breathing a sigh of relief that a
direction of travel can now be set. With so many commitments to small business,
housing and the climate, we look forward to supporting Prime Minister Johnson
to deliver his manifesto and ambitions.”
