Angry backlash from Black Country businesses and politicians but May defiant

Business leaders said a hung parliament was the worst possible outcome for firms across the region.

A council chief labelled Mrs May ‘a liability’ while one Labour MP described her pursuit of the Democratic Unionist Party’s support as ‘desperate’.

The Prime Minister said yesterday she will form a government to run the country for the next five years, even though the result of the election left the Conservatives with no overall majority.

Mrs May, who plans to lean on the support of Democratic Unionist Party MPs, said she was ‘sorry’ for Tory MPs who lost their seats.

“I am particularly sorry for those colleagues who were MPs or ministers who didn’t deserve to lose their seats. As I reflect on the result, I will reflect on what we need to do in the future to take the party forward,” she said.

Black Country Chamber of Commerce chief executive Corin Crane warned: “We enter a period of more uncertainty that will do nothing to help local businesses plan and trade as we start the difficult process of trying to find clarity following a largely anti-business election campaign.”

While Paul Faulkner, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “This additional uncertainty during Brexit, the most important negotiations of a generation, and question marks over the future of the Prime Minister, is probably the worst outcome the business community could have hoped for.

“Given the result, and the timing of the election – during the Brexit negotiation period – many will be questioning the wisdom of calling it in the first place.

“It is vital our nation’s politicians put petty party politics to one side.”

A high-profile business leader in the Black Country has said the outcome of the General Election could have an impact on businesses and jobs.

Henry Carver, who has been managing director of Carvers Building Supplies in Wolverhampton for the last 33 years, said a hung parliament was the worst outcome possible.

He said:”I think a hung parliament by definition creates instability.

“With the Brexit negotiations almost upon us and a hung parliament, you never know how far this pushes people to the point they lose confidence. I think it creates uncertainty for jobs and business.

“I was surprised by the results. You make a judgement based on the opinion polls but they were obviously way off.”

Mr Carver welcomed Boris Johnson to the factory in Little’s Lane during the election campaign.

He said an outright majority for either Labour or the Tories would have been better than the hung parliament – but urged people to ‘remain positive’ about the future.

Mr Carver said: “(Theresa May)’s done a deal with the DUP – there aren’t a lot of options if you haven’t got a majority.

"I think it would have been better if either Labour or Conservatives had a majority because then you have a clear sense of what you have to achieve. All my business life I’ve tried to sell a positive message of a ‘can do’ attitude but I didn’t think it was a positive campaign.”

Meanwhile, Black Country LEP board member Ninder Johal said the result was concerning for businesses in the region.

Mr Johal said: “This makes things much more uncertain for businesses and we don’t have any idea about the direction people will follow. It’s probably the worst possible outcome. We’ve always been told no deal is better than a bad deal for Brexit – is that still the case? Businesses will still knuckle down and keep doing what they’ve been doing but the result doesn’t help.”

Business leaders in Staffordshire said a hung parliament raises question marks which are bad for business, jobs and the economy.

Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce chief executive Sara Williams said: “The immediate priority is the formation of a workable administration that can sure-up business confidence around economic management.

“This General Election result could make things harder for businesses, particularly as the Brexit negotiations are scheduled to begin in less than a fortnight.

“Businesses are adept at forming alliances and coalitions when important interests are at stake – and we expect the same of our politicians.”

Meanwhile, Warley MP John Spellar echoed the thoughts of many opposition MPs saying: “I have said from the start she wasn’t up to the job. She should have the dignity to recognise she made a catastrophic error and now she’s trying to make a deal with the DUP – it’s desperate stuff.

“She should do the decent thing and stand down rather than trying to hold on desperately in such an undignified manner.”

Mrs May said she still plans to push on with Brexit, despite her party losing a dozen MPs in the General Election.

She has also faced calls from within her own party to consider her own position after the snap election. The vote was brought forward from 2020 by the Tories in the hope it would deliver a large Commons majority and give Mrs May and her party a mandate for Brexit. However, the political calculation backfired as Labour made significant gains.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has urged Mrs May to resign and allow him to form a minority administration. But speaking outside Number 10 yesterday the Prime Minister said: “What the country needs more than ever is certainty. Having secured the largest number of votes and the greatest number of seats in the General Election, it is clear only the Conservative and Unionist Party has the legitimacy and ability to provide that certainty by commanding a majority in the House of Commons.

“As we do, we will continue to work with our friends and allies in the Democratic Unionist Party in particular.”

Wolverhampton council’s Conservative group leader Wendy Thompson said the result had left a ‘terrible’ platform for the Brexit talks which are due to start in 10 days. But she welcomed Mrs May’s decision to stay on as PM.

Councillor Thompson said: “Angela Merkel must be rubbing her hands with glee with a weakened government going into Brexit negotiations – it’s a terrible situation.

“But thank goodness we have some stability by keeping the same Prime Minister. The Conservatives are a responsible party and working with DUP we are able to form a majority.”

However, Sandwell Council leader Steve Eling argued: “Theresa May is dead in the water. From a Brexit point of view she is a liability and Britain will be the laughing stock of Europe if she thinks she has a strong hand to negotiate Brexit.”

Theresa May has been backed by politicians in Staffordshire. Conservative MPs and councillors in the county today rallied around the PM, saying she remains the right person to lead the country into the crunch talks.

But Labour chiefs accused her of creating an unstable platform ahead of the upcoming meetings with EU bureaucrats.

Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant praised Mrs May for her decisive action in moving quickly to form a government. Chief Whip Gavin Williamson, the MP for South Staffordshire, said he is ‘100 per cent’ behind the Prime Minister.

Mr Fabricant said: “We’ve worked with the DUP in the past and although I don’t agree with their policies on LGBT and other issues those are devolved in any event to the Stormont government.

“It’s clear Jeremy Corbyn didn’t win the General Election as the Conservatives won 57 more seats in the House of Commons. It’s also clear government couldn’t be allowed to drift as we’re about to commence negotiations with the European Union. Consequently Theresa May had no alternative but to form a government and she has my full

Mrs May said she still plans to push on with Brexit, despite her party losing a dozen MPs in the General Election.

She has also faced calls from within her own party to consider her own position after the snap election. The vote was brought forward from 2020 by the Tories in the hope it would deliver a large Commons majority and give Mrs May and her party a mandate for Brexit. However, the political calculation backfired as Labour made significant gains.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has urged Mrs May to resign and allow him to form a minority administration. But speaking outside Number 10 yesterday the Prime Minister said: “What the country needs more than ever is certainty. Having secured the largest number of votes and the greatest number of seats in the General Election, it is clear only the Conservative and Unionist Party has the legitimacy and ability to provide that certainty by commanding a majority in the House of Commons.

“As we do, we will continue to work with our friends and allies in the Democratic Unionist Party in particular.”

Last night Mrs May confirmed senior ministers, including Chancellor Philip Hammond, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Amber Rudd, would keep their roles.