Wednesday 6 October 2021

Responding to the Prime Minister's speech at Conservative Party conference, Richard Burge, Chief Executive of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said:

“As the Prime Minister rightly recognises when talking about the UK’s vaccine development success, it was fuelled by the private sector.

"It is a strong private sector that will also help our economy to recover from COVID-19, and will also be needed in order to overcome new barriers and friction to trading with the EU.

"Change and challenge of this scale requires the collective action of government and business. At times the government won’t like the message they are hearing about the problems that are foreseen or occurring, but it’s important that they are open to engaging with it. As indeed it’s important that businesses understand what the government is trying to achieve for the electorate.

“London’s businesses certainly wish to hear a little less of London being presented almost as a villain in the levelling-up narrative. The Prime Minister is right to say that people shouldn’t feel they have to move or commute to the south east in order to progress a career, but it shouldn’t mean levelling or talking London down, or failing to recognise the role of global mobility. London is the UK’s world city. It is a key player in a global economy. We need to further ensure that investment into London brings further benefit across this country. Do London down and that investment may end up leaving these shores altogether, and that benefits no one here.”