President's Heartbeat – w/c 18th January
Released On 18th Jan 2019
‘Brexit’ – A Statement From Yeovil Chamber
“It is now two and half years since the referendum and we appear to be no further forward. Whatever your political persuasion, the 15th January vote signified a fundamental lack of leadership on the part of all the mainstream political parties. Uncertainty is bad and costly for business. There was uncertainty going into the vote and there is even more uncertainty now. The damage to business and the wider economy is therefore only likely to increase. Yeovil is blessed with industry of all types. It is a very important regional manufacturing and exporting hub on which very many jobs rely. What those businesses – big and small - now require is a comprehensive plan which will avoid the complications associated with a no-deal Brexit.
Yeovil Chamber of Commerce calls upon all members of Parliament, and our local parliamentary representatives in particular, to ensure that this is achieved as a matter of utmost urgency. Whatever their personal views, the obligation of our elected representatives must now be to put the national interest first. This cannot be achieved by continued in-fighting, playing party politics or ignoring the voice of business on which the future prosperity of us all relies.”
The Yeovil Chamber statement echoes the national feeling: Dr Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “There are no more words to describe the frustration, impatience, and growing anger amongst business after two and a half years on a high-stakes political rollercoaster ride that shows no sign of stopping. Basic questions on real-world operational issues remain unanswered, and firms now find themselves facing the unwelcome prospect of a messy and disorderly exit from the EU on March 29th. The overriding priority for both government and Parliament must now be to avoid the clear danger that a ‘no deal’ exit on the 29th of March would pose to businesses and communities across the UK. Every second that ticks by sees more businesses spending money on unwanted changes, activating contingency plans or battening down the hatches and halting investment, as they try to anticipate a future that is no clearer now than it was at the time of the referendum result. Businesses will take a dim view of more shuttle diplomacy and last-minute bargaining, which have so far done nothing to end the political impasse. The government must now urgently set out in concrete terms what it will do to avoid the damage that a messy and disorderly exit on March 29th would cause to businesses, communities, and the UK economy.”
If you have any views on Brexit, please email president@yeovilchamber.org and your concerns will be forwarded directly to our representative for Yeovil at Westminster, Marcus Fysh MP.
If you would like more information on the benefits of Yeovil Chamber membership, which ensures you have a voice, and keeps you up to speed with Brexit and other business related issues, go to https://www.yeovilchamber.org/membership/benefits-rates.htm or email president@yeovilchamber.org
Interested in raising your profile via sponsorship of Yeovil Chamber? email Hello@yeovilchamber.org
