East Midlands business leaders today welcomed the economic certainty a majority Conservative Government should bring as Boris Johnson has pledged to 鈥渟pread opportunity to every corner of the 海角视频鈥.
And they hoped he would come good on his victory speech promise of 鈥渟uperb education, superb infrastructure, and technology鈥.
Since the 2016 Referendum, too many businesses 鈥 particularly those with links to Europe 鈥 have left in limbo, reluctant to invest or branch out while there was so much uncertainty in the air.
Now it seems clear that Parliament will finally back Britain leaving the EU on January 31, followed by a transition period ending on December 31, 2020.
Sterling and the FTSE 250 both surged this morning, and big regional businesses such as Leicestershire鈥檚 Barratt Developments saw its shares rise 12 per cent at 750p.
Shares in Next were up 4 per cent at 7,110p, while Dunelm was up 6 per cent at 1,137p.
Leicester property developer Roy Coley was behind the city鈥檚 new 拢43 million, 297 apartment Wullcomb complex and much of the 拢350 million Highcross shopping centre across the road from it.
He said: 鈥淚鈥檓 delighted all the uncertainty is over and the country can get down to the real concerns of ordinary people which for me is what politics should be about.
鈥淚 personally think Britain will thrive now we are free of the self-serving Brussels catastrophe called the EU, which is effectively bankrupt, and a lot more countries in due course will follow us.
鈥淲e are a great innovative country of highly skilled intelligent people and we can look after ourselves, as we have always done, whichever party is in power.鈥
Infrastructure is a particularly hot topic in the East Midlands.
Derby-based Rail Forum Midlands, which represents more than 200 rail sector supply chain firms across the West and East Midlands, wants new government to follow through on major rail projects, including HS2 and Midlands Engine Rail, while committing to rail playing a major role in the 海角视频 government鈥檚 de-carbonisation agenda.
Reacting to the General Election result, in a statement, the rail forum said: 鈥淩ail Forum Midlands looks forward to working with the new government and representing the interests of our many and varied members.鈥
Scott Knowles, chief executive of East Midlands Chamber 鈥 which covers Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire 鈥 congratulated Mr Johnson but warned there was still much to do.
He said: 鈥淭he hard work must start now in delivering an orderly Brexit, healing the fractures within politics and society that have been prevalent in recent times and, crucially, refocusing on the domestic agenda 鈥 an area that has been chronically overlooked for far too long.
鈥淏usinesses here in the East Midlands have been stoic, determined and have shown a deep desire to evolve and grow but make no mistake, this has been in spite of the political climate, not because of it.鈥
In the region鈥檚 commercial property market, Tim Richardson, of FHP Property Consultants, which has offices in Derby, Nottingham and Birmingham, hoped transactions and investment activity would pick up.
He said: 鈥淭he election result gives a degree of certainty that businesses need.
鈥淥f course, the country is only part way down the long path to Brexit, but the prospect of going back to square one was not attractive to those with decisions to make.
鈥2019 has been a rollercoaster and I have been involved in a number of transactions and investment decisions where companies have pressed the pause button.
鈥淎s we go into 2020 we expect there will be renewed activity in the commercial property sector.鈥
Mike Pole, who runs Pole Arnold financial management, based just outside Leicester, was delighted that the log-jam of recent years had been cleared.
He said: 鈥淚nvestment and currency markets have opened today with a seal of approval at the result.
鈥淚mportantly, it will now enable us to invest further in our team, technology and offices which has got to be good for all.
鈥淭here are still many Brexit challenges ahead, but the 海角视频 public has given a clear signal that they don鈥檛 want further faffing.鈥
Ashwin Mistry, chairman of BHIB insurance broker in Leicester, said: 鈥淭he one Christmas present this country needed most was certainty in our political impasse.
鈥淏usinesses, local authorities and families can now make at least some informed decisions.
鈥淭he three-and-a-half-year stalemate has crippled entrepreneurship, put fear in the minds of foreign investors and inhibited creativity
鈥淲hilst the landslide outcome is obvious, the acid test will be whether this Government can deliver.鈥
Ed Hollands, is the founder of Derby-based DrivenMedia, which sells vacant advertising space on the side of lorries.
He said: 鈥淚鈥檓 disappointed as I worry about what Brexit will mean for the haulage sector.
鈥淭here are rumours of a soft Brexit on the table. We have to hold tight and see what happens.鈥
Duncan Green, managing partner of Leicester-based national construction consultancy Pick Everard, hoped investment in public services and infrastructure would continue 鈥渋n the regions as well as in the capital鈥.
He said: 鈥淟eicester will need to ensure its voice is heard and that our city and county strongly compete for its share of that investment.鈥
