Following the announcement that Boris Johnson has won the Conservative Party leadership race and will succeed Theresa May as Prime Minister on the 24 July,a recruitment trade body has given their reaction.
Samantha Hurley, Director of Operations at the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) said, “Johnson’s appointment will be no great surprise to the majority of our members. However, the new Prime Minister’s ‘do or die’ commitment to delivering Brexit by the 31 October 2019 means that there will be a certain level of apprehension around how this could potentially impact business – particularly as the former Foreign Secretary has, so far, failed to rule out a no-deal exit.”
“While the professional recruitment market may not be as exposed to the same potential post-Brexit risks as those recruiting for lower skilled roles, it is crucial that future strategy remains focused on attracting the talent our country needs. With this in mind, we welcome Johnson’s position that the electorate has voted to control, rather than reduce, migration, and that an ‘Australian style’ points system could make the economy ‘much more open’ to skilled migrants.”
“The new PM’s suggestion that the economy would be stimulated through cuts to corporation tax – and his openness to exploring the possibility of allowing businesses to offset new capital investment – is also likely to be favoured by our members.”
“Many will also welcome Johnson’s commitment to boosting funding for technical and vocational apprenticeships. Our members report chronic skills shortages in sectors such as engineering, and developing talent in this area will create a highly-skilled workforce to meet demand for high-wage jobs.”
“Ultimately, it is our hope that Boris Johnson will be determined to put the interests of the UK economy ahead of his personal ambitions, so that the professional recruitment community can leave this period of uncertainty behind and concentrate on growing their businesses in a more stable climate.”
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