Leeds businesses react to Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit defeat

A travel agent manager, solicitor and a cargo firm boss are among those who spoke to the YEP following Prime Minister Theresa May’s by 230 votes on Tuesday.

Keith Large, managing director of Leeds-based H&A Transport Group, said that he deals with Europe every day through agents, but thinks “leave means leave” and wants politicians to get on with the process of exiting the EU.

Stressing that his own opinions may differ from many of his own workforce’s, he said: “The people sat in Parliament are more interested in their own interests and not the constituents who voted in droves.”

He added: “I think Europe has to change its tune. It’s come back countless times and said it will not negotiate.

“They have to come back to negotiate.”

Ben Whitehead, travel account manager at Brewood Travel in Wetherby, has simply appealed for clarity.

He said: “In the event of a no-deal, we’ve been assured of all the right things by the Government and ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents).”

But he admits that in the case of no-deal, “no one really knows” what the situation will be, although he does not think long-haul travel will be affected.

“Until we have parameters set in place to give us guidelines, we’re not sure,” he said.

He added: “We just want clarity. If MPs went with [the Prime Minister’s] deal, great, we would have a transition period and everything would stay the same for now.”

But customers are already choosing to holiday in areas outside of the EU.

Mr Whitehead said: “It’s just realigning your holiday desires and seeing a different way of travelling. People will always want to go on holiday.”

Louis MacWilliam, an immigration solicitor at Blacks Solicitors in Leeds, said: “What happened [in the Commons vote] seems to be meaning a no-deal scenario would be more likely. That would have a big effect in terms of immigration.”

He said that if there is a deal, EU national status is secured for immigrants until December 31, 2020, because it comes under Freedom of Movement rules.

“[But] if there is no deal the Government has set out the position that the trap door will shut by 29 March.”

He added: “It’s going to create a lot of anxiety amongst businesses who are reliant on EU labour, such as in manufacturing and hospitality.

“They are going to be seeking advice on how they can secure their flow of immigration in the future.”

The low-wage labour they rely on could be unavailable by a no-deal scenario, he said.

Seventy-one per cent of the 400 Yorkshire business the law firm asked revealed that they employed staff from the EU, he said.

And he added: “The Government needs to redouble its efforts to get the message clearly across to make sure the rights of EU citizens currently here are fully protected.”