Election result - NPA comment

NPA chief executive Zoe Davies said the emphatic Conservative election, victory will end the short-term uncertainty over Brexit. 

Mr Johnson will govern with a majority of nearly 80, after a stunning night for the Conservatives ended with the Party’s best election result since 1987. The result means Mr Johnson will deliver on his promise to ‘get Brexit done’ by January 31, paving the way for a transition period until the end of 2020. But there is concern about what might come after that.

“The clear outcome means that we now have some certainty for the next 12 months. We will leave the EU on January 31, with a transition period where little will change until the end of 2020.

“However, our longer-term concerns remain about what happens after that date in terms of our future trading relations with the EU, the terms of future trade deals with non-EU countries and access to EU labour.

“We will also continue to make the case for a future agriculture policy that supports productive farming and offers incentives to farmers to maintain and improve our pig health and welfare standards and meet the environmental challenges in front of us.

“We will also stress the need for proportionate regulation, including resisting any attempts to ban farrowing crates.”

One rare black spot for the Conservatives on an otherwise triumphant night was the failure of Defra Minister Zac Goldsmith to retain his Richmond seat.

“We await to see the make-up of the new Defra team and look forward to working with them,” Zoe said.