Businesses responding to an IoD poll immediately after the election said the uncertainty caused by the result was a concern for the UK economy. Around two-thirds (65%) of respondents said the hung parliament was a significant concern and another 27% described the result as a “slight” concern.

Pessimism over the UK economy was also high with 57% of businesses “quite” or very pessimistic, up 20 percentage points from the IoD’s last survey in May. However companies were much more confident about their own business with 40% saying they were optimistic about their organisation’s future in the next year.

UK economic conditions was having a negative impact on business for 53% of respondents and the uncertain trading status with the EU impacted 46% of companies in a negative way.

Accordingly the most important policy area for businesses is trade with the EU, although significant numbers said education, skills and training and modernising infrastructure were also key policy areas which the new government needed to focus on.

On Brexit negotiations specifically, more than half the respondents said the government needed to reach swift agreement on rights and entitlements for UK citizens in the EU and vice-versa.

Despite the uncertainty caused by the election, only 23% of companies want another round of voting this year. The majority said another general election in 2017 would be somewhat or very unwelcome.