Following the Conservative Party's election victory, prominent UK associations are begining to return their verdicts on the result.
Helen Dickinson OBE, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium (BRC), comments: “We look forward to working with the new Government on the many issues facing retailers. The Prime Minister must now fulfil his manifesto pledge and urgently begin a fundamental review into the broken business rates system to relieve the burden on retail businesses and create a system fit for the 21st century.
“Retailers employ three million people across the UK, making the industry the UK’s largest private sector employer. It is therefore important that the Apprenticeship Levy is made more flexible to enable the industry to use funds for any form of accredited training to suit its skills needs and create a workforce fit for the future. Equally, retailers need to see action from Government to tackle retail violence. Every day, 115 people are attacked at work - no-one should go to work in fear.
“It is also vital over the coming days and weeks that the Government commits to bringing clarity on the UK’s future relationship with the EU and pursues a fair deal for consumers that maintains tariff-free, frictionless trade with the EU.
“With retail conditions the toughest they have been for a decade, the Prime Minister must act to support the successful reinvention of retail locations and local communities. We look forward to working with ministers on a strategy to strengthen the retail industry during this period of unprecedented change.”
Hew Edgar, head of UK Government relations and city strategy for the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), says: We congratulate Mr Johnson on his election win, and hope that his Government provides the stability the UK’s built environment craves, as well as the attention it needs and deserves. For too long, domestic issues have been sidelined by the Brexit debate, and this has negatively impacted investment and growth in land, property and construction.
"It is imperative that key issues, such as housing supply, high street and town centre renewal and climate change are a top priority for this Government. RICS will work with the new administration to ensure that these issues are tackled, in consideration of the social and environmental impact that any policy or legislation might have."