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AstraZeneca and Ladbrokes withdraw support for pro-Tory election letter Three business leaders distance themselves from pro-Tory letter
(about 2 hours later)
Two leading executives whose firms appeared to endorse a letter warning of the risks of a Labour government have today distanced themselves from any political endorsement. Three business leaders have distanced themselves from a letter that warned of the risks of a Labour government following concerns that their views, or those of their companies, had been misrepresented as a political endorsement of the Tories.
The chief executive of the drugs giant AstraZeneca,and the newly appointed chief executive of Ladbrokes have recanted from signatures from their companies’ executives in the letter which first appeared in the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday. Lord Bilimoria, the independent cross-bench peer, told the Guardian that he was “unhappy” that the letter, which first appeared in the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday, gave the impression that he was a Conservative party supporter.
The chief executive of the drugs giant AstraZeneca and the newly appointed chief executive of Ladbrokes have distanced their companies from the letter.
Related: Jim Mullen is right to disassociate Ladbrokes from business letter
The development is embarrassing for the Conservatives, who saw the letter as a way of exposing Labour’s difficulties in attracting the support of big business.The development is embarrassing for the Conservatives, who saw the letter as a way of exposing Labour’s difficulties in attracting the support of big business.
The party has also been forced to admit it helped to organise the letter – a fact it had been reluctant to confirm on Wednesday.
Bilimoria, who co-founded Cobra Beer, said: “The letter gives the impression that those who have signed it are Conservative party supporters. I am absolutely not a Conservative party supporter, I am a cross-bench peer.
“One of the main reasons I signed this letter was that reducing corporation tax to 20% is one of the best things that the government has done. But I am also very critical of Tory policies on education, immigration and defence,” he said.
Pascal Soriot, the chief executive of AstraZeneca, appeared to endorse the letter on Thursday morning. According to the Telegraph, his name was added as part of a second wave of 17 who signed the document praising the government’s economic policies.Pascal Soriot, the chief executive of AstraZeneca, appeared to endorse the letter on Thursday morning. According to the Telegraph, his name was added as part of a second wave of 17 who signed the document praising the government’s economic policies.
However, Soriot’s office released a brief, corrective statement on Thursday afternoon saying: “My name should not be used in the context of the letter.” Soriot’s office released a brief corrective statement on Thursday afternoon saying: “My name should not be used in the context of the letter.”
The Conservatives have said Soriot allowed his name to be published, but asked for his name to be removed this morning, after the letter had already been released. The Conservatives said Soriot allowed his name to be published, but asked for his name to be removed on Thursday morning after the letter had already been released.
2/3 Like most business leaders, Mr Soriot will want to contribute to policy debate but won't want to get involved in party politics.2/3 Like most business leaders, Mr Soriot will want to contribute to policy debate but won't want to get involved in party politics.
Soriot said in a official statement: “I support policies that reinforce a competitive tax environment and encourage investment in the UK. Neither I nor AstraZeneca endorse any political party and while I support such policies my name should not be used in the context of the letter.”Chuka Umunna, the shadow business secretary, said on Twitter: “Like most business leaders, Mr Soriot will want to contribute to policy debate but won’t want to get involved in party politics.” Soriot said in a statement: “I support policies that reinforce a competitive tax environment and encourage investment in the UK. Neither I nor AstraZeneca endorse any political party and, while I support such policies, my name should not be used in the context of the letter.”Chuka Umunna, the shadow business secretary, said on Twitter: “Like most business leaders, Mr Soriot will want to contribute to policy debate but won’t want to get involved in party politics.”
Earlier, Jim Mullen, the newly appointed chief executive of Ladbrokes, wrote to the Telegraph to say that the bookmaker did not concur with the views of his predecessor, Richard Glynn, whose last day at the company was on Tuesday.Earlier, Jim Mullen, the newly appointed chief executive of Ladbrokes, wrote to the Telegraph to say that the bookmaker did not concur with the views of his predecessor, Richard Glynn, whose last day at the company was on Tuesday.
In a terse letter, Mullen wrote that the company has made clear that it does not endorse any political party and would not seek to tell its employees or customers how to vote. In a terse letter, Mullen wrote that the company had made clear that it did not endorse any political party and would not seek to tell its employees or customers how to vote.
Insiders said the party’s mistake was attracting the signature of Ladbrokes’ outgoing chief executive, Glynn, which was widely reported as an endorsement from the firm.Insiders said the party’s mistake was attracting the signature of Ladbrokes’ outgoing chief executive, Glynn, which was widely reported as an endorsement from the firm.
In the letter, Mullen, who took over from Glynn on 1 April, writes: “I am the CEO of Ladbrokes and I want to make clear that our business is to take bets on the general election, not to tell people how to vote. Mullen, who took over from Glynn on 1 April, wrote: “I am the CEO of Ladbrokes and I want to make clear that our business is to take bets on the general election, not to tell people how to vote.
“There are many shades of political opinion in our workforce of 15,000 never mind ex-employees of out customer base of millions of people. “There are many shades of political opinion in our workforce of 15,000, never mind ex-employees or our customer base of millions of people. My vote is worth the same as theirs, and their choice of vote is their business. So I won’t be signing any letters in this, or any other, general election, that seeks to tell people how to vote.”
“My vote is worth the same as theirs and their choice of vote is their business. So I won’t be signing any letters in this, or any other, general election, that seeks to tell people how to vote.” It is understood that Glynn signed the letter endorsing the Tories’ economic plan on 31 March, his last day in office. He received an £850,000 payoff on his last day.
It is understood that Glynn signed the letter endorsing the Tories’ economic plan on 31 March, his last day in office. Glynn received an £850,000 payoff on his last day. Glynn was one of more than 100 business leaders to praise the Conservatives’ track record on business policy, investment and job creation, while warning of a Labour government’s threat to jobs and a deterrent to investment.
Glynn’s signature is understood to have infuriated Ladbrokes’ board, which has insisted on releasing the letter from his successor to the Daily Telegraph. A Tory party source said: “The letter does not give the impression that the signatories were supporters of the party, just of our key economic policies.”
Glynn was one of more than 100 business leaders to praise the Conservatives’ track record when it comes to business policy, investment and job creation, while warning of a Labour government’s threat to jobs and a deterrent to investment. On Wednesday, the Tories declined to say who had organised the letter. Asked whether it had been organised by his party, Sajid Javid, the culture secretary, replied: “This is a letter from the people who have signed it. It is not signed by the Conservative party.”
But by Thursday, party officials admitted a guiding hand. One senior party source dismissed concerns about Tory involvement as “process-ology” inspired by the Labour party.