The Black Country-based Richardson group had a business “round table” with North Shropshire Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan.
Mrs. Morgan, who won the seat in a surprise by-election after previous Tory MP Owen Paterson resigned, ruled out a cooperation with the Conservatives in a hung parliament. She declined to say if her party would work with Labour.
She claimed the party cared more about persuading voters than prepping for hypothetical situations.
About 20 financial, industrial, property, and export company professionals met at Richardson’s Oldbury headquarters.
Her queries covered commerce, regulations, brownfield development, and small business help.
Mrs. Morgan said her party will begin a “slow march” toward Europe by renegotiating Britain’s trade deal with the EU.
She denied immediate EU membership.
“We need to remove those non-tariff barriers in our trade with the EU,” she stated.
After the meeting, she told the Express & Star that Britain rejoining the EU was her party’s long-term goal but not a priority.
“We need to improve the deal we have with Europe, we need trade barriers to be removed,” she stated.
Renegotiating the trade accord will help repair our relationship with Europe.
“We want to rejoin, but when it’s appropriate. I’m unsure when. We need unanimity to make it uncontroversial.”
She questioned ‘points-based’ migration.
“Why it’s ok to bring skilled migrants in from abroad, but expecting British people to pick fruit, I don’t understand,” she remarked.
Mrs. Morgan said a shortage of affordable housing was slowing economic growth in her area. She claimed younger people were leaving an aging population.
“I know of a business which is struggling to recruit for the health sector, and one of the factors in that is the lack of housing,” she remarked after the meeting.
We need more social housing, but private developers won’t create it if they can’t profit. How can we fix that?
She was warned by Richardson director Martyn Richardson that the social housing development process was too slow.
Mrs. Morgan, who worked for British Gas before entering parliament, cautioned that energy market instability remained a serious issue and that another winter shock was conceivable.
She claimed a firm in her area wanted to grow and create 120 jobs, but the electrical system couldn’t satisfy its energy demands.
Mr. Richardson said business executives enjoyed learning about the Liberal Democrats’ governance style. He suggested the party may shape the future administration.