The travel industry should expect “big changes” in the government following the UK election and a “bumpy” two years, a leading political commentator has warned.
UK prime minister Theresa May failed to win a majority in the election on June 8 and can now only continue in government with the support of Northern Ireland Unionist MPs.
There were immediate calls for her to resign following the election. The government and Brussels are due to enter talks on Britain’s exit from the EU as early as June 19.
Tim Montgomerie, former columnist for The Times and founder of the ConservativeHome site, told the UK Guild of Travel Management Companies (GTMC) conference in Monaco: “Tory ministers are furious at how Theresa May handled the election and is running the administration.”
Speaking days before the election, Montgomerie told UK corporate travel leaders: “Regardless of the result there will be enormous ramifications for May. The cabinet will force some big changes in the way the administration runs.
“May has alienated too many people far too quickly. We have seen so many U-turns. It is one thing not to consult colleagues when things go well. It’s another when things don’t go well.
“’Strong and stable’ was about the worst slogan she could have chosen. May was the first party leader in history to rip up their manifesto four days after its launch.”
Montgomerie suggested a hung parliament would add to the confusion over the UK’s Brexit stance, saying: “[Labour leader] Jeremy Corbyn does not have a solid block of Labour MPs behind him. There would be very little agreement on our bargaining position in Brussels.”
He warned: “Get ready for bumpy times. The economy is weakening. There will be a lot of internal friction in the Tory party. The next two years will be pretty bumpy.”