Chaos and scandal at the Confederation of British Industry have prompted a debate on whether big companies can represent themselves to government and the world or need to join forces. The BCC (British Chambers of Commerce) sees an opening. It’s set up the Business Council under Martha Lane-Fox as a direct rival to the CBI and announced BP, Heathrow, Drax (power generation) and IHG (hotels) as founder members. These are heavy hitters. Others could follow. Aviva and Natwest were among firms that quit the CBI when its ex-director general stood down in March after reports of inappropriate behaviour on his watch and of rape before he took over. Danker is now said to be suing the CBI, which he says made him a scapegoat. The bigger picture is of British business strategising on how to nudge a future Labour government back into Europe’s orbit – a task at which the CBI spectacularly failed.
