Britain must remain within a reformed European Union if it hopes to build stronger ties with global powers like the US, the president of the CBI warned today.
Sir Mike Rake claimed staying in the 28-member bloc was a “gateway to trade with our closest partners, a springboard to the rest of the world and a route to better living standards at home”.
Speaking at the final CBI annual conference before next year’s election, he said: “UK membership of a reformed EU is overwhelmingly in our national interest.”
However, he added: “Let us be in no doubt that we need to get behind an agenda for reform to make the EU more open, completing the single market: competitive, reducing unnecessary regulations and outward-looking, focused on breaking down barriers that stand in the way of all European business.”
The CBI has become embroiled in a row with Eurosceptic lobbying group Business for Britain, which claims business leaders want an EU referendum.
But Sir Mike denied the CBI was conflicted over Europe and told Radio 4 that allegations over money it receives from the EU were “a real red herring”. CBI director general John Cridland also rejected the claims as “bitchy comments by issue groups”.
