Greater Manchester Chamber Comments on Boris Johnson Winning Conservative Leadership Contest
Commenting on Boris Johnson as the UK's new Prime Minister, Chris Fletcher (pictured), Director of Campaigns and Marketing at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, said: “We congratulate Boris Johnson on his appointment as the new leader of the Conservative party and the country’s new Prime Minister.
“Now is definitely not the time though for a self-congratulatory lap of honour, we expect him to get straight down to business, appointing a new cabinet, make realistic and deliverable plans to reverse years of domestic economic neglect for our business community and work towards a satisfactory outcome for Brexit.
“Whilst all eyes in Westminster have been on Brexit these last few years, the cost to our domestic economy has been great. Our members on a daily basis still tell us about skills issues, poor transport infrastructure and the ever increasing burden of up-front taxes such as business rates. All of which have got worse over the last few years.
“The very real danger is that even with a good Brexit deal the domestic economy has been neglected for so long that businesses will continue to struggle to take advantage of any new opportunities.
“A modern, successful 21st century global economy needs reliable and effective infrastructure built for the future - not a continuation of "make do and mend". It has to have an effective, responsive and stable skills system in place free of the constant tinkering that does so much damage and it must also be based on strong social values and a broader understanding of “good” business too. Here in Greater Manchester we also want to have genuine devolved powers and decision making free from Whitehall intervention, not some form of half-way house which just creates problems and delays.
“The PM has a short timescale to deliver the necessary progress that business needs and will be judged harshly if this is not achieved irrespective of what may happen as regards Brexit.”