Bosses in Kent fear the uncertainty created ahead of the Brexit negotiations after the Conservatives lost their majority in the general election.

Businesses still smarting from the vote to leave the European Union described how the party had once again created a “self-inflicted wound” at a time when firms want stability going into the talks with Brussels.

Kent was the scene of one of the shock results of the election, as Canterbury and Whitstable elected Labour candidate Rosie Duffield, taking the seat away from the Tories for the first time in 160 years.

The rest of the county stayed blue but the Conservatives are unable to form a majority government, prompting Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to call for Theresa May to resign.

The pound fell about 2% against the dollar to around £1.27 overnight, although shares in the FTSE100, which relies on exports, were up slightly.

The outcome is “not the decisive result the country needed” according to Clive Stevens, chairman of accountancy Kreston Reeves, based in Chatham, Canterbury and Sandwich.

He said: “It does not strengthen the government’s hand to secure a good Brexit deal. Yet again the Tories have suffered a self-inflicted wound.

“A poor election campaign demonstrates that they really do need to learn to listen to and connect more with the people.

“At least we seem to have avoided Labour’s desire to impose the highest rates of tax the UK would have seen in peacetime. This would have affected all of us – not just those considered wealthy.”

The result is a “disaster” according to prominent leave campaigner Andrew Baxter, who is managing director of Dartford-based logistics firm Europa Worldwide.

He expects another election to take place in October or November and said the Prime Minister’s position “looks very vulnerable indeed”, adding “I expect she will go in the near future”.

“This will be worsened by people blaming her for putting the party and country in this position by calling the election,” he said.

“I doubt the Conservatives will be able to push through Brexit without a majority so therefore the nature of Brexit – or in fact whether it happens at all – will depend, if I’m right, upon the result of the next election.

“The upshot of this election in my opinion is total instability and a very unclear picture for the future of the UK.”

Jo James, chief executive of Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, said: “The UK electorate has today accomplished the unlikely feat of piling more uncertainty on business communities already grappling with currency fluctuations, high up-front costs, and the Brexit process.

“The formation of a stable administration that can give voters and businesses confidence around both economic management and Brexit negotiations must be the absolute top priority.

“Starting today, the anti-business tone that characterised the election campaign must be consigned to history, with a more mature and practical dialogue taking its place. Business wants neither a ‘bargain basement’ economy nor an over-regulated, high-cost one.”

Richard Stafford, director at Ashford-based Stafford Perkins Chartered Surveyors, said: “The hung parliament is not going to help the local economy, as there is even less confidence than before.

“This result has proved that the electorate have insufficient confidence in either of the two main political parties to give either a clear mandate, which makes the country as a whole weaker in the eyes of the rest of the world and especially Europe at this crucial time.”

The Institute of Directors’ Kent branch chairman Jane Ollis said: “Today’s result is disappointing for business in terms of continued uncertainty.

“It is imperative today that the Conservatives move to form a government, to restore confidence and that business continues to makes its voice heard.

“Longer term outcomes could be more positive as the incoming government without a mandate for a “hard” Brexit will lead to a more measured and engaging negotiation with our friends in Europe.”

Peter Boulton, founder and director of Maidstone-based consultancy InTime Profit, said: “If anything is certain in this country, it’s that nothing is certain as proved overnight by the result of the general election. Not only nationally but locally was this witnessed.

“Labour taking Canterbury which had been held by the Conservatives since 1841 is living proof that things can and do change.

“However, we are still a massively blue county.”

Mark Quinn, managing director of Canterbury housebuilder Quinn Estates, said: “The Conservatives as the largest party now have the first crack at forming a government with their manifesto including a pledge to build one million homes by the end of 2020 and 500,000 more by 2022.

"The election result, however, raises real questions about whether those promises will be delivered. It’s vital that they do.”

Richard Thomas, director at land agent BTF Partnership, said: “Farmers are used to uncertainty in their sector with unpredictable weather, pests, labour issues, volatile prices and Brexit all testing their resolve, so the election result will be taken in their stride.

“Cows have to be milked and crops harvested whatever the colour of the political landscape and the nation still has to be fed, so it will be ‘business as usual’ tinged with frustration that another raft of uncertainty has been added to the list.

“Ironically a weaker pound will be helpful in the shorter term.”