Robert Walters blames EU poll for hire freeze

COMPANY bosses are “sitting on their hands” over hiring new workers because of uncertainty about the EU referendum, a top City recruiter said today.

Robert Walters, who runs the FTSE 250-listed recruiter of the same name, said the vote had slowed down UK hiring “considerably,” similar to before last May’s general election.

UK net fee income for the first part of the year increased by 2% to nearly £19 million, the slowest quarterly growth for four years.

“If you look at what happened in the first quarter, you couldn’t make it worse. Banks delayed bonuses so people didn’t move, there was an early Easter and the ongoing Brexit debate. We’re confident things will improve,” he said.

Net fee income overall rose 9% to £59 million.