This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/apr/24/cbi-scandal-women-helena-morrisey-tells-rishi-sunak
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| CBI scandal could deter women from joining City, top financier tells Sunak | CBI scandal could deter women from joining City, top financier tells Sunak |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| PM criticised over decision to axe tax-free shopping for tourists at meeting of business leaders | PM criticised over decision to axe tax-free shopping for tourists at meeting of business leaders |
| The top City fund manager Helena Morrissey has raised concerns with the prime minister that the scandal at the Confederation of British Industry could deter women from entering the City. | |
| Morrissey, one of the highest profile executives in the City and a campaigner for equal pay and opportunities, said she was “personally worried that this might put women off joining industry”. | Morrissey, one of the highest profile executives in the City and a campaigner for equal pay and opportunities, said she was “personally worried that this might put women off joining industry”. |
| Rishi Sunak was taking questions from executives at the Business Connect event in London, where the government had gathered 200 business leaders. | Rishi Sunak was taking questions from executives at the Business Connect event in London, where the government had gathered 200 business leaders. |
| Morrissey said to him: “We need everyone to feel they’ll be respected and included if they join industry. It’s a bit of the elephant in the room but we’re meeting as horrible allegations swell around the CBI. | Morrissey said to him: “We need everyone to feel they’ll be respected and included if they join industry. It’s a bit of the elephant in the room but we’re meeting as horrible allegations swell around the CBI. |
| “I’m not expecting you to comment on that but I am personally worried that this might put women off joining industry, and I wondered if you’re concerned about that and if there’s anything that might help in the future as the dust settles?” | |
| The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is the UK’s most prominent business lobbying organisation. It is a not-for-profit organisation founded by royal charter in 1965, after a merger of older employer bodies. | The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is the UK’s most prominent business lobbying organisation. It is a not-for-profit organisation founded by royal charter in 1965, after a merger of older employer bodies. |
| It claims “unrivalled” access to government. It also claims to have the biggest number of policy specialists outside of Whitehall, the seat of the British government, in order to support its 190,000 business members, which are the chief source of its income. Its total income was £25m in 2021, of which £22m was from membership fees. | It claims “unrivalled” access to government. It also claims to have the biggest number of policy specialists outside of Whitehall, the seat of the British government, in order to support its 190,000 business members, which are the chief source of its income. Its total income was £25m in 2021, of which £22m was from membership fees. |
| Its membership is composed of direct members and members of other trade bodies. | Its membership is composed of direct members and members of other trade bodies. |
| Its 1,500 direct members are businesses that actively hold membership. Fees vary significantly: top-tier businesses can pay £90,000 annually, some mid-sized companies pay half this price and smaller companies pay far less. | Its 1,500 direct members are businesses that actively hold membership. Fees vary significantly: top-tier businesses can pay £90,000 annually, some mid-sized companies pay half this price and smaller companies pay far less. |
| The bulk of its membership comes via trade bodies, and it counts these memberships within its own 190,000 total. | The bulk of its membership comes via trade bodies, and it counts these memberships within its own 190,000 total. |
| The lobby group has access to the prime minister and cabinet, and campaigns on issues ranging from funding for childcare to tax and skills. Its relationship with the UK government was stretched severely by Brexit, with its access to No 10 much curtailed. A remark attributed to the former prime minister Boris Johnson – “fuck business” – was considered to be aimed at efforts by the CBI and others to try to influence the post-Brexit UK-EU trade agreement. | The lobby group has access to the prime minister and cabinet, and campaigns on issues ranging from funding for childcare to tax and skills. Its relationship with the UK government was stretched severely by Brexit, with its access to No 10 much curtailed. A remark attributed to the former prime minister Boris Johnson – “fuck business” – was considered to be aimed at efforts by the CBI and others to try to influence the post-Brexit UK-EU trade agreement. |
| The organisation sought to rebuild ties with the government during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, including working alongside trade unions and No 10 on developing the furlough scheme. | The organisation sought to rebuild ties with the government during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, including working alongside trade unions and No 10 on developing the furlough scheme. |
| The CBI is governed by a president and an executive committee, which, in normal times, is chaired by the director general. It also has a board of non-executive directors, which the director general sits on. | The CBI is governed by a president and an executive committee, which, in normal times, is chaired by the director general. It also has a board of non-executive directors, which the director general sits on. |
| Anna Isaac | Anna Isaac |
| Sunak did not directly address the crisis at the CBI but said the government was working to encourage female entrepreneurship. | Sunak did not directly address the crisis at the CBI but said the government was working to encourage female entrepreneurship. |
| At the same event, Gerry Murphy, the chairman of the luxury fashion group Burberry, criticised Sunak for his decision, as chancellor, to remove tax-free shopping for tourists, describing it as a “spectacular own goal”. | |
| Murphy told the prime minister it has made the UK “the least attractive shopping destination in Europe”. | Murphy told the prime minister it has made the UK “the least attractive shopping destination in Europe”. |
| Sign up to Business Today | Sign up to Business Today |
| Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning | Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning |
| after newsletter promotion | after newsletter promotion |
| Virtually every other big destination in Europe offers VAT refunds, he said, and Burberry can see that the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic in Paris, Milan and Munich is much stronger than in the UK. | Virtually every other big destination in Europe offers VAT refunds, he said, and Burberry can see that the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic in Paris, Milan and Munich is much stronger than in the UK. |
| “We are actively exporting business as a result of that policy,” he added. | “We are actively exporting business as a result of that policy,” he added. |
| Sunak said the government is “here to listen” and that he would take Murphy’s comments away. | Sunak said the government is “here to listen” and that he would take Murphy’s comments away. |