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"General Election 24: "The British public is tired and wants change"

ended 05. July 2024

Newspage asked small business owners from all sectors for their views on the General Election as the results come in. Views will keep appearing below until midday today.

11 responses from the Newspage community

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The British public is tired and wants change. Labour, as of the early hours on Friday at least, leads the way in the dawn of a new era. The psychological impact of a new administration could be enough to get the country, economy and housing market moving.
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The Conservatives needed a wake-up call. Not only does it look like they've got that but it looks like someone has thrown an ice bucket of water over them to get them out of the self-indulgent party-first country-last mentality. If Starmer gets the numbers that the exit polls suggest, he's been given a clear mandate from the country to do something different, but the lack of detail in his policies with plenty being poorly designed doesn't inspire confidence. The worst thing for the country would be another parliament that puts ideology and self-preservation above the fundamental duty of a government: to govern effectively and prioritise the needs and interests of the citizens above all else. The country deserves leadership that focuses on practical solutions and tangible improvements rather than political grandstanding. The polls through this election have been fairly consistent so the exit poll and initial results weren't a surprise.
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With Keir Starmer now at the helm of the good ship UK from this morning, they urgently need to review the chaotic and hastily assembled policies thrown together to solve the housing crisis. We need forethought around housing, not for it to be an afterthought. The longer term impacts of badly thought out plans affecting home owners, first-time buyers, renters and landlords have such a chronic impact on other aspects of their lives. The stability of a house that you can call home is greatly underestimated. Owners, occupiers and tenants all depend on and deserve a policy fit for the nation's needs. Dreams of property ownership should trump party politics.
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Starmer isn’t the charmer that Labour MPs think he is. It was a monumental victory and they should celebrate it, but as the pantomime of the polls wears off they will come to realise their victory is due to the complete and colossal collapse of Tories. This is evident in the rise of other parties. Labour have a lot of work to do to please their voters.
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This is a momentous moment for Britain, homeowners and those who want to get on the ladder. Finally we will have a government focused on stimulating a stagnant housing sector. Expect to see incentives for buyers, builders and even sellers. This is the most important way of getting the economy moving that will allow Starmer to push an agenda for change so many people voted for. Farage will be the most delighted of all leaders, with a massive vote share and seats in double digits. This may push a broken Tory party further right and put Starmer longer in power to deliver a long-term strategic housing and growth plan.
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The end of a turgid Tory saga and a glimmer of hope for the future, but can Starmer really kickstart the economy from a fairly stagnant start? The inevitable BoE base rate cut in August can only be the start of the good news for borrowers and small business owners, there needs to be policies that offer long-term strategies to build the economy.
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The British public is tired and wants change, and it's clear from this election. However, it's not that Labour has anything groundbreaking to offer; they won because people are simply fed up with the Conservatives.

Small business owners like myself are cautiously watching these developments. While change is necessary, we're hoping for policies that genuinely support growth and innovation. The next few months will reveal if Labour can deliver on their promises or if we'll continue facing the same challenges under a different banner. Let's hope for the best, but be prepared for more of the same.
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Yes the public wants change. But at what cost? Will the new Labour government be kind to housebuilders and those that provide housing as a service? Hardly so. There are clear indicators now that the housing sector is going to go through a sustained slump and this election victory for Labour will cost tenants more in rent, housebuilders more in red tape, and the allied industries of mortgage broking and conveyancing a lot in terms of their sales and ultimately their livelihoods.
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The tension in the count hall was palpable and as we sat beneath the wings of a huge plane waiting for the ballot boxes to arrive it all felt very real. I hope we wake up to a brighter morning and a better future. It's certainly looking like that. The time is now.
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If the exit polls are to believed, Nigel Farage will be ecstatic as his Party will have secured 13 seats. Beyond that, this is an extraordinary achievement for Keir Starmer and his team. Labour look set to blow the other parties away.
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Lee Petts0
Founder at Fifty2M
48% of Labour voters recently told a YouGov poll that their main reason for backing the party was to get the Tories out. Only 5% of respondents said it was because they agreed with Labour policies. That should worry us all as we wake up to a new Labour government with Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.

Labour knew all it had to do was hold up the prospect of change, and so it's campaign has been all soundbites and no substance. Starmer has the keys to No.10 not thanks to merit but thanks to desperation for something different.

What are we changing to under Labour? We don't truly know. The Labour campaign didn't really tell us much, and wasn't subjected to a great deal of meaningful scrutiny by the media and political pundits. We can only hope that it won't seek to fund its plans with a previously unannounced tax raid on businesses and voters.