AUGUST 2019 BusIness 35
Jeremy Hunt, congratulates
Boris Johnson after his winHe said: “We need a commitment to
invest in our regions and bolstering our
ability to design and make the things
we can trade.
“Brexit throws into sharp relief the
need for a robust industrial strategy,
along-term response from government
to collaborate with business in
addressing disruptive risk and
opportunity.”
Serial entrepreneur and CEO of
Manchester-based tech firm UKFast,
Lawrence Jones said he had spoken to
Mr Johnson recently about the ‘tech
tax’ issue.
Adding: “I was in a meeting with
Boris Johnson a couple of weeks ago
where we discussed the various
different taxation issues with Facebook,
Amazon, Netflix and Google.
“He acknowledged that it’s clearly
not a level playing field. He gets it. I’m
confident that he’s the right man to try
and finally remedy that issue and
create a level playing field for British
businesses which ultimately means
more money for the British people, and
more opportunities for our businesses
to compete.”
Manchester recruiter Sellick
Partnership believes the Boris effect
could be catastrophic for the UK talent
pool.
Managing director Jo Sellick said: “As
a recruitment leader I am regularly
asked what harming our relationshipwith the EU might do to our talent pool,
or what might happen to our workforce
should we leave without a deal.
“I think we are already witnessing the
‘if ’ in this question. EU migration has
fallen year-on-year since the EU
Referendum and job vacancies are at
an all-time high as a result.
“In November last year the Office for
National Statistics (ONS) reported that
our UK unemployment rate rose to 4.1
percent at the same time as we saw a
drop of 132,000 citizens from other
European Union countries working in
Britain.
“This is worrying for a country that
already has a massive skills shortage
and I don’t see much being done to try
and rectify it at present. Instead of
fighting amongst themselves, the UK
government and our politicians should
be working to make the UK an exciting
and attractive place to work for
experienced candidates across the
globe.”B
ORIS Johnson beat
Jeremy Hunt
comfortably, winning
92,153 votes to his rival’s
46,656.
In his victory speech, the former
London mayor promised he would
“deliver Brexit, unite the country
and defeat Jeremy Corbyn”.
Speaking at the Queen Elizabeth
II centre in London, he said: “We
are going to energise the country.
“We are going to get Brexit done
on 31 October and take advantage
of all the opportunities it will bring
with a new spirit of can do.
“We are once again going to
believe in ourselves, and like some
slumbering giant we are going to
rise and ping off the guy ropes of
self doubt and negativity.”
Mr Johnson thanked his
predecessor, saying it had been “a
privilege to serve in her cabinet”.
He was Mrs May’s foreign secretary
until resigning over Brexit.
The outgoing PM in turn
congratulated her successor,
promising him her “full support
from the backbenches”.
Foreign Secretary Hunt tweeted
that his rival would be “a great PM
for our country at this critical
moment”.
He praised Johnson’s “optimism,
energy and unbounded confidence
in our wonderful country” adding
“all best wishes from the
entrepreneur” - a reference to a
phrase he often repeated during
the campaign.
US President Donald Trump also
sent his congratulations to
Johnson, tweeting: “He will be
great!”last few years.
“The very real danger is that event
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.”
This was echoed by Warren Ward,
head of public affairs & policy at Wirral
Chamber of Commerce.
“It is time to get real about the issues
facing our country,” he said.
“No more political point scoring, our
business community needs real results
on Brexit and the UK Economy.
“We need to understand what will a
Boris Johnson led government do to
avoid a disorderly Brexit on 31st
October, which poses a real threat to
communities across the nation and
could disrupt our countries
international trade around the world.
“For too long have key issues at home
been neglected. Our communities and
businesses can no longer be held back
by party politics. Businesses need
confidence, and quickly. We remain
open to working with the Prime
Minister as always, to secure the
interests of businesses locally and
nationally.”
Lesley Martin-Wright, CEO,
Knowsley Chamber, added: “What the
business world needs right now is
some stability and some certainty.
“Businesses are telling us that they
just need to know what is happing and
what is going to happen so they can
plan ahead and continue to grow. We
need to move on from all the different
political distractions and concentrate
on doing business.”
Brian Holliday, managing director of
Siemens Digital Industries has called
on the new PM to get serious about
manufacturing and further
commitment to the regions for ‘a
robust industrial strategy.’