Boris must hit the ground running

Boris Johnson has been elected as leader of the Conservative Party and will officially take over as prime minister on 24 July. The former mayor of London has promised to take Britain out of the EU by 31 October 2019 with or without a deal.

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) congratulates Boris Johnson on his victory, but cautions him that, regardless of the eventual shape of Brexit, the country and the economy need certainty above everything else.

From EU citizens’ rights and climate change to the housing crisis and late payment which is crippling the construction industry, the new prime minister must enable change and avoid getting stuck by trying to solve one problem at a time.

Nick Sangwin, national chair of the NFB, said: “We wish Boris Johnson well but he needs to hit the ground running. Brexit uncertainty must be dispelled so that businesses can get on with planning their own futures. Deal or no deal, the EU settlement scheme and proposed immigration reforms need immediate reform or we risk leaving millions of our EU friends behind.”

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the NFB, said: “We implore the new prime minister to give more attention to our domestic despairs. With no end in sight to the housing crisis, this country needs radical planning reform. We must also eradicate the scourge of late payment and reform outdated procurement practices so that our hard-working SMEs and regional contractors can propel Britain’s economy into prosperity after Brexit.”

National Federation of Builders

The National Federation of Builders is a United Kingdom trade association representing the interests of small and medium-sized building contractors in England and Wales.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Nationwide House Price Index – Thoughts from the Industry

The latest Nationwide House Price Index for July 2025 shows that: House prices increased by 0.6% between June and July of this year. On an annual basis, the average house price increased by 2.4% up from a 2.1% annual rate of growth in June. As a result, the average UK house price now sits at…
Read More
Breaking News

Nationwide House Index – July 2025

Annual house price growth edges higher in July Annual rate of house price growth increased modestly in July to 2.4%, from 2.1% in June House prices were up 0.6% month on month UK house price to earnings ratio at lowest level in over a decade at c.5.75 Headlines Jul-25 Jun-25 Monthly Index* 540.5 537.4 Monthly…
Read More
Breaking News

Late payment reforms offer hope for SMEs

The Government has unveiled its Small Business Plan aimed to support SMEs and unlock growth. This plan outlines their intention to tackle late payments, an issue which costs the UK economy £11bn a year and forces 38 businesses to shut down every day. Richard Beresford, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Builders (NFB), said:…
Read More
Breaking News

Late payment reform is welcome, says FMB

Measures announced as part of the Government’s ‘Small Business Plan’, to tackle late payments and tool theft, futureproof skills, and improve access to finance, are welcome steps to create a more level playing field for small building companies, say the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB commented: “Late payments…
Read More
Social Housing 2019
Breaking News

Build to Rent sees global surge

Build to Rent Goes Global: New Data Reveals Surge in UK, US, Australia and New Zealand New global data from Inventory Base reveals that Build to Rent (BTR) is no longer a UK phenomenon. n, it’s a rapidly expanding housing model gaining serious traction across New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. Nowhere is this…
Read More
Breaking News

Number of estates paying IHT jumps 13%

HMRC has released its annual inheritance tax (IHT) stats for the 2022/23 tax year. Headlines include: Number of estates paying inheritance tax rose 13% to 31,500. The average IHT bill fell by 1.4% to £212,000. 0.03% (202) of estates paid 11% of all inheritance tax and 1% of estates paid around 65% of all inheritance…
Read More