The Forum Calls For Direction Following Election

The Forum was quickly invited to comment on the General Election results, which left no party with an overall majority.  This appeared in the media on Friday after the result:

Business leaders in Wales have called for swift action to clear political uncertainty after the UK elected a parliament with no overall majority.
CBI Wales director David Rosser told Insider: “We would like to see an arrangement reached quickly which is strong enough to start to take some of the difficult decisions necessary to address the public finances and satisfy the markets this will be tackled seriously.”

David Russ, managing director of South Wales Chamber of Commerce, said: “A hung parliament is not good news for Welsh business. Decisions need to be made promptly but with considerable thought. We are only just emerging from recession and we need a strong government to continue to drive the economic recovery forward.”

Andrew Diplock, vice-chairman of Caerphilly Business Forum and commercial director of UES, said: “Whatever the make-up of the new UK government, it cannot afford to ignore the pressing environmental and economic pressures that need to be addressed in Wales quickly and decisively.”

And Russell Jenkins, managing director of accountancy firm KTS Owens Thomas, said: “The worldwide financial markets are experiencing unprecedented and frightening volatility and uncertainty, so the final settled outcome of the UK position will be crucial in limiting the effect of the turmoil on the UK economy. The markets will want to see stability and this election result does not deliver that.”