‘Put business at heart of policy’

Babs Murphy, chief executive said: “The election of a new Conservative administration provides an ideal opportunity to accelerate the process of change and to present new ideas.

“This Government can help businesses succeed by minimising red tape, especially in areas such as employment and the environment, where it must find better ways of delivering the same outcome, and ensuring a corporate tax regime that is both fair and competitive on a global basis, while continuing to invest in the spending priorities of business such as transport and skills.

“Government and its agencies must consider the business impact of every decision they take and show that it is serious about valuing enterprise and business success.

“There is no doubt this new Government will have its work cut out. Get it right and businesses will create the wealth and jobs that produce the tax revenues on which this new Government will depend.

“We have the talented entrepreneurs and business leaders to rise to the challenge of reinventing our economy and creating high value jobs but they need to be supported by the Government.”

Meanwhile, Damian Broughton, from Danbro, said the vote should mean a period of stability for business and he urged the government to offer “support for a flexible workforce and sustained economic stability.”

He said: “The results ends the uncertainty. The result enables them to build upon what they have achieved to date and continue on a course which hasn’t been a bad one for the UK economically.”