Asda chair Stuart Rose urges Boris Johnson to leave Downing Street now

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Asda chair Stuart Rose has urged Boris Johnson to leave 10 Downing Street immediately, describing him as a “lame duck prime minister”, while M&S chair Archie Norman describes it as a “great opportunity” for British business.

Lord Rose, who is a Conservative peer, has responded to the prime minister’s resignation statement earlier today (7 July) in which Johnson said he would remain in post until a successor was found.

The veteran retailer said that action on economy had been ‘hamstrung by political crisis’ as he joined a series of business leaders in calling for NI and corporation tax cuts to help prop up the UK’s deteriorating economy.

The unclear nature of Johnson’s statement has seen some commentators suggesting that he could remain in post as caretaker prime minister until the autumn, when a new Conservative party leader is elected.

READ MORE: Iceland under fire for ‘bad taste’ swipe at Boris Johnson after MPs quit 

Lord Rose said a new prime minister needed to be bought on board as soon as possible in order to allow the government to focus on helping the economy.

“This has been too long in happening and it is unsustainable to continue with a hamstrung, lame duck prime minister into the autumn,” he said. “There doesn’t seem to be anybody dealing with the serious issue of the economy. This political crisis has hamstrung everything.”

At the same time, M&S chair Archie Norman – a former Conservative MP – described Boris Johnson’s resignation as a “great opportunity” for British business to stop focusing on Brexit.

“This is now a great opportunity to embark on a new post-partisan era, to stop framing every question against the context of Brexit and to reach out across the water to bring together all the talents across the Conservative party to build a proper recovery plan for the UK economy,” he said.

“The public are thirsting for a new civility in public discourse. That means a more grown-up tone, straight-talking and respect for the truth, however unpalatable.”

Shevaun Haviland, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), a business lobby group, said: “We hope today’s decision by the prime minister will finally bring this chapter of political instability to an end.

“Action is needed quickly to help business. We’re on limited time and the government must reset, rethink and get their house in order and swiftly demonstrate that it is on the side of business if confidence is to be restored.”

The current economic outlook is bleak; with inflation at a 40-year high, energy prices continuing to rise and countless predictions of a recession round the corner.

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