With summer recess over, the CBI has had strong stakeholder engagement in recent weeks
Last week, CBI Director-General, Carolyn Fairbairn, and Deputy Director-General, Josh Hardie, met with William Vereker, the Prime Minister’s new business envoy. During the meeting, Carolyn and Josh both raised the CBI’s UK competitiveness agenda and had a useful discussion about government and business working together to deliver shared prosperity for the UK.
Elsewhere, Carolyn and CBI Scotland Director, Tracy Black, undertook an extensive programme of political engagement during Carolyn’s time in Scotland. This included meetings with First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, and Leader of the Opposition, Ruth Davidson. Carolyn outlined the CBI position on a ‘no deal’ Brexit, alongside key findings from the Open and controlled report on a preferred post-Brexit immigration system and suggestions for boosting productivity across Scotland.
Alongside this, CBI President, John Allan, also met with Leo Varadkar, Taoiseach, and Simon Coveney, Deputy Leader of Fine Gael, in Ireland. John passed on the CBI’s key messages on Brexit, speaking to Varadkar and Coveney about the importance of resolving the Irish border issue for business and government alike.
Finally, Josh Hardie chaired a meeting with Hillary Benn MP, Chair of the Exiting the EU Select Committee, at the Trade Association Brexit Strategy Group. Josh and others from the CBI’s EU Negotiations team put forward key messages on the importance of securing a withdrawal agreement, and having this pass through the House of Commons, stressing the impact on business if this does not happen.
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