A delegation from Norfolk Chamber were in attendance at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Annual Conference at the QEII centre in London this week.
Following an opening speech by Francis Martin, the President of the British Chambers, a video montage from the Chief Executives from across the regional Chambers was shown. It outlined the differences being made locally and helped to articulate how the work the Chambers do locally is collectively contributing to the national economic picture.
Unsurprisingly, Brexit was a re-occurring theme throughout the conference agenda, with the questions from the UK press and media coming in thick and fast amongst the questions from the business audience.
Director General of the BCC, Adam Marshall outlined how he saw an army of civic minded businesses driving prosperity through the process of Brexit. And that those businesses felt that an ambitious domestic agenda mattered equally as much as any Brexit deal. He also noted that young people place faith in the transformational power of business and will respect those businesses with civic impact, who can invest in manufacturing and innovation and technology to help support the needs driving modern day society.
One of the panel debates discussed how to grow business in the regions. Panelists included George Osborne MP, and Andy Burnham MP, the candidate for the Mayoral election in Manchester, as well as Vincent De Rivaz, CEO of EDF Energy. They debated Devolution, City Deals and the need to transfer power to local regions and what the outcomes of that may be. All agreed that the regions would benefit from power becoming less centralised, but gave a warning that the real competition for the UK was from outside of our shores and there needed to be commitment from all regions to compete as one nation.
Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, reiterated how important information and feedback from Chamber members was in providing input into the Industrial Strategy. “There is no substitute for talking to people, the diversity of connection, challenge and opportunities means everything to those who make policy.” He went on to invite all UK Chambers to participate in the development of sectoral groups for the Industrial Strategy, saying “local knowledge is irreplaceable and essential.”
The highlight speech of the conference came from Boris Johnson, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. He opened with analogies about pineapples and closed with haggis and pineapple jam! His point being that the UK needed to reclaim globalisation. Historically the UK is the most global of all the developed economies, with the links and friends being created over centuries of being a globally trading nation. On the subject of the UK in relation to the EU, Mr Johnson said “the UK is the flying buttress supporting the cathedral – UK trade has raised everyone’s standards and there remains opportunities within the EU.” He went on to say that “the UK should think global to be a safer, more successful and prosperous Great Britain.”
