The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has responded to the election of Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party.
Helen Dickinson, BRC's Chief Executive, said, “We congratulate Boris Johnson on becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
'There are many pressing issues in retail and the wider economy, such as rising costs and weakening consumer demand, and we look forward to engaging with Mr Johnson and his team to promote constructive solutions to these issues.
“Retailers employ three million people across the UK, making the industry the UK’s largest private sector employer, and the burden of business rates and other public policy costs put these jobs and our high streets at risk.
'With retail conditions the toughest they have been for a decade, the new Prime Minister must act to support the successful reinvention of retail locations and local communities.
'We hope the new Government will commit to a full review of the broken business rate system and to collaborate with the BRC on a strategy to bolster the retail industry during this time of rapid change.”
(image: @BorisJohnson)