The Conservative government’s unexpected majority should enable them to put their promises into action across the retail sector.

As the first Conservative-only government in 18 years stepped into Downing Street’s corridors of power this week, the consensus is retail got the result it wanted from the 2015 general election.

Not only has the surprise majority the Prime Minister now commands ended fears of a hung parliament and the resulting political and economic uncertainty it could bring, but the Conservative’s pro-business agenda has also drawn wide-ranging support from retail bosses.

The result should allay immediate fears of a post-election slump in consumer confidence. But the outcome will also encourage the industry it will be given the right tools and conditions to continue to create growth and, in doing so, underpin its position as the engine room of private sector employment.

This is, as Theo Paphitis, owner of Ryman and Robert Dyas told Retail Week, a “commercial government”. It has put clear water between itself and Ed Miliband’s Labour, whose policies, rightly or wrongly, were perceived by many to threaten the recovery.

A tightening of Chancellor George Osborne’s austerity agenda could yet put a further squeeze on household expenditure. But there will also be relief that a number of Labour proposals, from the increase in corporation tax to its stance on employment law, have been avoided, for now.

However, celebrations should be short lived. And both retailers and the Government now have a responsibility to show they have learned from the mistakes of the past five years.

The election was notable for the role business leaders played in shaping public opinion. But having helped influence the result, retail bosses must now continue to take a proactive role in the political discourse ahead.

While the legislative environment around a swathe of employment issues will be more benign under a Conservative-led country than it would have been under Labour, issues such as the use of zero-hours contracts and the gap between the minimum and living wage will continue to gather momentum and practical ways to address public concerns must be found.

Meanwhile, with a referendum on Europe inevitable, retailers and the political elite must share the responsibility for setting out the arguments to and for staying in Europe and give the public the information they need to make the right decision.

Finally, having welcomed retail’s contribution to the debate running up to polling day, the Government must allow the industry’s voice to be heard and also deliver on reform of business rates – the single biggest curb to retail’s ability to lead the kind of aspiration-driven economy the Prime Minister says he wants.

David Cameron used his first Cabinet meeting this week to tell ministers this Conservative administration will “govern for hard working people”. As the industry that employs the largest number of hard working people in the private sector, one must hope that the needs of retail will be top of his agenda.

  • Chris Brook-Carter, Editor-in-chief