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MPs urge businesses to seize opportunities to ensure West Midlands emerges 'stronger than ever' from lockdown

MPs have urged businesses to seize new opportunities on the horizon to ensure the West Midlands comes out of lockdown "stronger than ever".

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Boris Johnson speaking in Dudley

Politicians say they want the region and the Black Country specifically to "thrive" and called on business leaders to be "outward looking".

It comes after the Black Country Chamber of Commerce chief Corin Crane called for more support and guidance from the Government to avoid a "prolonged recession".

Dudley North MP Marco Longhi said he had been lobbying trade minister Greg Hands to ensure stronger trading links for the region.

Mr Longhi cited Brexit and the international trade available afterwards as a key opportunity for both big and smaller businesses to capitalise on.

He said: "I know we would get a lot of companies who can't make it through and the Prime Minister has been very clear with people about that.

"But the Government has wrapped its arms around people with the furlough scheme, and with businesses through the extra support as well.

"There's massive opportunities as we go through Brexit and we can strike our trade agreements and what I've been focused on is getting those smaller businesses engaged.

"They will typically not have an export division and lack the whole export package – they might not have done this before and there's a lot of red tape.

"I've been pushing Greg Hands to understand what we can do for the Black Country companies across the area – how we open those doors that currently aren't open, to help them with the international barriers through that insider knowledge.

"It's a tough time for everyone, but businesses need to look at this difficult time for the potential opportunities on offer and there are lots.

"Let's be outward looking here and look on this with some optimism. These are difficult times but we're bringing a lot of investment into the region, into Dudley as well, and that's why we had Boris visit us."

Stuart Anderson, MP for Wolverhampton South West, said the region's MPs were working with businesses through the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).

Mr Anderson said: "The Black Country MPs and I are on the APPG for the Black Country and we have the Chamber of Commerce, the LEP, and we're looking at the strongest way we can come out of lockdown.

"We want the West Midlands, and more specifically the Black Country, to thrive and we're lobbying the Government for all the investment for the region and will continue to do that.

"We've had a lot of funding and the Prime Minister said on his visit we would see upwards of £3 billion for the region.

"And even when we get that £3bn or more we will lobby for more and more – we're l00 per cent behind the Black Country and we want to see the Black Country, and the West Midlands, come through stronger than any other region and we believe we can do that – with help from West Midlands Mayor Andy Street."

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