Business groups react to General Election result

09 Jun 2017

With the 2017 General Election resulting in a Hung Parliament, the UK’s leading business groups have been giving their reactions.

The Institute of Directors (IoD) has warned that businesses have now been ‘thrown into political limbo’.

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is urging politicians to form a functioning government which offers security and places the economy at the heart of its agenda.

CBI Director-General Carolyn Fairbairn said:

‘For the next government, the need and opportunity to deliver an open, competitive and fair post-Brexit economy that works for everyone across all our nations and regions has never been more important.’

Meanwhile, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has called for a delay to the beginning of Brexit talks.

FSB National Chairman Mike Cherry said:

‘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.’

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) also emphasised the ongoing uncertainty for business communities, and echoed the FSB‘s call for a delay to Brexit negotiations.

Dr Adam Marshall, BCC Director General, said:

‘Whilst companies have for many months done their best to screen out political noise in order to focus on their own operations, this result will prove much harder for UK businesses to ignore.

‘No business would walk into a negotiation without clear objectives, an agreed starting position, and a strong negotiating team. It is hard to see how Brexit negotiations could begin without answers on these important questions.’