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| Ex-BCC chief: business bosses may fear backing British EU exit in public Ex-BCC chief: business bosses may fear backing British EU exit in public | |
| (4 months later) | |
| Business leaders may now feel too intimidated to speak out in favour of Brexit, according to the outgoing director general of the British Chambers of Commerce who resigned on Sunday night after saying the UK could be better off out of the EU. | Business leaders may now feel too intimidated to speak out in favour of Brexit, according to the outgoing director general of the British Chambers of Commerce who resigned on Sunday night after saying the UK could be better off out of the EU. |
| John Longworth, who was initially suspended by the BCC board after his pro-Brexit comments, said he did not know whether Downing Street had any influence on the decision but it would not be surprising if there had been some contact between officials and the business group. | John Longworth, who was initially suspended by the BCC board after his pro-Brexit comments, said he did not know whether Downing Street had any influence on the decision but it would not be surprising if there had been some contact between officials and the business group. |
| The row over Longworth’s Eurosceptic comments has inflamed leave campaigners, who are suspicious that No 10 may have encouraged the BCC to silence its director general. | The row over Longworth’s Eurosceptic comments has inflamed leave campaigners, who are suspicious that No 10 may have encouraged the BCC to silence its director general. |
| The BCC is remaining neutral on the referendum, with about two-thirds of its members favouring staying in. But Longworth had told the group’s annual conference that it was his personal view that the UK could have a “brighter” future outside the EU. | The BCC is remaining neutral on the referendum, with about two-thirds of its members favouring staying in. But Longworth had told the group’s annual conference that it was his personal view that the UK could have a “brighter” future outside the EU. |
| David Davis, the Eurosceptic former shadow home secretary and Tory leadership candidate, has now submitted a freedom of information request to Downing Street to get to the bottom of whether government officials put any pressure on the BCC. | David Davis, the Eurosceptic former shadow home secretary and Tory leadership candidate, has now submitted a freedom of information request to Downing Street to get to the bottom of whether government officials put any pressure on the BCC. |
| Speaking to the Guardian, Longworth said he was “very convinced the business community is much more split than people think” and it was up to them to speak out if they had something to add to the debate. | Speaking to the Guardian, Longworth said he was “very convinced the business community is much more split than people think” and it was up to them to speak out if they had something to add to the debate. |
| But he raised concerns that other senior figures in the corporate world may be reluctant to come out in favour of Brexit because of the furore around his remarks, which were made at the BCC annual conference on Thursday. | But he raised concerns that other senior figures in the corporate world may be reluctant to come out in favour of Brexit because of the furore around his remarks, which were made at the BCC annual conference on Thursday. |
| Asked whether he thought his decision to speak out could encourage other business leaders to back Brexit, he said: “Anybody sat there watching what’s been going on, I think it would put them off quite frankly rather than it encouraging them … I’m sure people would be intimidated.” | Asked whether he thought his decision to speak out could encourage other business leaders to back Brexit, he said: “Anybody sat there watching what’s been going on, I think it would put them off quite frankly rather than it encouraging them … I’m sure people would be intimidated.” |
| Longworth said he did not personally hear from Downing Street after his speech and he has “no idea what happened after the conference day”, so allegations about government pressure were “for the BCC to answer”. | Longworth said he did not personally hear from Downing Street after his speech and he has “no idea what happened after the conference day”, so allegations about government pressure were “for the BCC to answer”. |
| “The only thing I can say is that I have been dealing with governments for many years and it is normal practice for government representatives to make their views known, sometimes in the strongest and most striking terms about issues, but they have never influenced me. I have always said it like it is without fear or favour,” he added. | “The only thing I can say is that I have been dealing with governments for many years and it is normal practice for government representatives to make their views known, sometimes in the strongest and most striking terms about issues, but they have never influenced me. I have always said it like it is without fear or favour,” he added. |
| Longworth is now considering whether to participate formally in the leave campaign, and separately told the Telegraph that he thought David Cameron was peddling “highly irresponsible” scare stories to try to keep the UK in the EU. | Longworth is now considering whether to participate formally in the leave campaign, and separately told the Telegraph that he thought David Cameron was peddling “highly irresponsible” scare stories to try to keep the UK in the EU. |
| The BCC has strongly denied any political interference influenced its decision to suspend Longworth. | The BCC has strongly denied any political interference influenced its decision to suspend Longworth. |
| “His subsequent resignation was agreed mutually between Mr Longworth and the BCC board, and there were no external factors involved. The only views taken into account were those of the BCC board and the BCC’s owners – the UK accredited chamber network,” a spokesman said. | “His subsequent resignation was agreed mutually between Mr Longworth and the BCC board, and there were no external factors involved. The only views taken into account were those of the BCC board and the BCC’s owners – the UK accredited chamber network,” a spokesman said. |
| Michael Fallon, the defence secretary, also firmly rejected the idea that No 10 or other government officials exerted any pressure on the BCC over the suspension, suggesting the leave campaign was engaging in a conspiracy theory. | Michael Fallon, the defence secretary, also firmly rejected the idea that No 10 or other government officials exerted any pressure on the BCC over the suspension, suggesting the leave campaign was engaging in a conspiracy theory. |
| He told Sky News: “I can give you that absolute assurance, because the board of the British Chambers of Commerce have made it very clear that this was their decision, and there was no external pressure from anybody else. | He told Sky News: “I can give you that absolute assurance, because the board of the British Chambers of Commerce have made it very clear that this was their decision, and there was no external pressure from anybody else. |
| “People who want to leave Europe are seeing conspiracy theories everywhere now because they don’t want to answer the basic questions, which is if you leave Europe, where are you going? What are the new arrangements for trade? What is going to happen to the jobs that depend on Europe? They have to start answering these questions instead of coming up with rather bizarre conspiracy theories that the British Chambers of Commerce have flatly denied.” | “People who want to leave Europe are seeing conspiracy theories everywhere now because they don’t want to answer the basic questions, which is if you leave Europe, where are you going? What are the new arrangements for trade? What is going to happen to the jobs that depend on Europe? They have to start answering these questions instead of coming up with rather bizarre conspiracy theories that the British Chambers of Commerce have flatly denied.” |
| However, Downing Street has refused to reveal its contact with the BCC after the speech on Thursday and before Longworth’s suspension on Friday night. | However, Downing Street has refused to reveal its contact with the BCC after the speech on Thursday and before Longworth’s suspension on Friday night. |
| The prime minister’s spokeswoman said: “We are in regular discussions with business organisations. I am not going to get into the details about private conversations.” | The prime minister’s spokeswoman said: “We are in regular discussions with business organisations. I am not going to get into the details about private conversations.” |
| She would not deny that there had been contact before or since the speech and suggested that it was reasonable for the government to court the opinions of pro-EU supporters in the business world. | She would not deny that there had been contact before or since the speech and suggested that it was reasonable for the government to court the opinions of pro-EU supporters in the business world. |
| Boris Johnson, the London mayor, said Longworth had “effectively been gagged” from expressing a bright and optimistic vision of Britain outside the EU. | Boris Johnson, the London mayor, said Longworth had “effectively been gagged” from expressing a bright and optimistic vision of Britain outside the EU. |
| He also told LBC: “I think it is very sad that somebody like John Longworth, who’s given a lot of time, a lot of thought to the needs of British business and industry should be basically pushed out for saying what he thinks.” | He also told LBC: “I think it is very sad that somebody like John Longworth, who’s given a lot of time, a lot of thought to the needs of British business and industry should be basically pushed out for saying what he thinks.” |