BT, M&S and Vodafone bosses lead business calls to stay in EU
Business leaders have come out fighting to appeal to voters to keep Britain in the EU with the chairmen and chief executives of 36 of the UK’s 100 biggest companies all backing the call in a coordinated move organised by Britain Stronger in Europe.
They include the heads of BT, M&S and Vodafone who have all signed a public letter in today’s edition of The Times in which they warn that an exit could endanger employment levels and future growth prospects.
In the letter the signatories backed the PM’s reform agenda, arguing he had been able to ‘ reduce the burden of regulation, deepen the single market and to sign-off crucial international trade deals".
They added: "Business needs unrestricted access to the European market of 500 million people in order to continue to grow, invest and create jobs” and proclaimed, “Britain will be strong, safer and better off remaining a member of the EU.”
Whilst sections of big business has been quick to rally to the cause Brexit campaigners assert that small business owners are more sceptical, believing that withdrawal would allow Britain to slash red tape and business costs.
A total of 198 business leaders backed the pro-Europe intervention but many more firms refused to be associated with the public missive; notably Tesco, Sainsbury’s, RBS and Barclays.