Tory John Redwood warns businesses not to stand in way of EU exit

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/29/john-redwood-warns-businesses-stand-way-eu-exit

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Former Tory minister John Redwood has warned businesses not to meddle in the politics of the European Union referendum, in a move greeted with astonishment by his colleagues.

The senior MP, a leading Eurosceptic, told Conservative party members that businesses would pay a very dear financial price if they tried to stand in the way of an EU exit.

Speaking to a fringe event, he said: “The only answer for all concerned is for big business to keep out and not express a corporate view.”

He added: “If they don’t understand that now they will find those of us organising the ‘get out’ campaign will then make life difficult for them by making sure that their customers, their employees and their shareholders who disagree with them – and there will be a lot who disagree with them – will be expressing their views very forcefully and will be destabilising their corporate governance.

“This is absolutely crucial that these people get this. That it will be deeply disruptive to their businesses, and maybe even to their own tenure of their jobs, if a chief executive with a handful of shares thinks he can put the voice of a multinational corporation behind a highly intense political argument in one country in which they operate.

“It would be extremely foolish and we must make sure they have to pay a very dear economic and financial price were they to try that ill-judged thing.”

His remarks echo the warnings of senior SNP politician Jim Sillars, who was denounced by the Westminster parties for telling businesses they would face a day of reckoning if they urged against support for independence.

During the referendum earlier this month, Downing Street was explicitly calling on businesses to speak out about the consequences of independence, leading to warnings about job losses, economic uncertainty and rising food prices.

Redwood’s comments, first reported by the Telegraph, were immediately questioned by former minister Alistair Burt.

He tweeted: “Finally the J Redwood mask slips away with his threat to business which disagrees with him. I thought we were democrats? Surely misquoted?”

However, Redwood confirmed to the Guardian that this was his view and he equally thought businesses should not have been commenting on the Scottish referendum.

He said it was “friendly advice” to businesses as customers, shareholders and employers could be alienated if they took one side in the debate on Britain’s membership of the EU.

Companies should not be offering “gratuitous political comment”, he added.

The comments are the latest controversy in a conference overshadowed by tension over the prospect of Ukip defections, and a minister resigning over a newspaper “sexting” sting.

Roland Rudd, a lobbyist and chairman of the Business for New Europe, said the “disgraceful” threat from John Redwood against pro-EU businessmen was worse than anything Alex Salmond did during the Scottish referendum.