Almost 200 top business leaders signed a letter calling for Britain to stay in the EU
Feb 23, 2016, 13:10 IST
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In a letter published in Tuesday's Times, almost 200 business leaders call for Brits to vote to stay in the European Union in the upcoming referendum on membership.
The signatories include executives at giants such as BP, Credit Suisse, BT, Vodafone, HSBC, Asda, Marks & Spencer, Airbus, AstraZeneca, BAE Systems, and Ryanair.
The key paragraph in the letter signed by 198 business people - including 36 FTSE 100 bosses - reads:
Business needs unrestricted access to the European market of 500 million people in order to continue to grow, invest, and create jobs. We believe that leaving the EU would deter investment, threaten jobs, and put the economy at risk. Britain will be stronger, safer, and better off remaining a member of the EU.
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The signatories employ hundreds of thousands of people across a wide range of industries in the UK, according to the letter, which was published in The Times.
In a separate letter also published in today's Times, Trade Union Council leader Frances O'Grady calls for Britain to remain within the EU, writing:
If the Brexit camp get their way many vital workplace benefits that the EU has given us - paid holidays, extra maternity rights, and better conditions for part-time workers - could be for the chop. That may prove attractive to unenlightened business leaders but it will not win the hearts and minds of working people buckling under the strain of insecurity and reduced living standards.
Prime Minister David Cameron announced over the weekend that the pre-announced referendum on Britain's membership would be held on June 23. The date was named after Cameron secured what he saw as a decisive deal with Europe on reforming Britain's membership of the 25 country bloc.
But the Prime Minister, himself pro-European, has suffered several setbacks since announcing the date. Six Tory cabinet members, including Justice Secretary Michael Gove, have come out in favour of a so-called "Brexit" - a British exit from Europe - while Mayor of London Boris Johnson has also declared that Britain should leave.
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Downing Street, which itself is backing the "Remain" campaign, is believed to have helped coordinate the letter, according to reports in The Independent.
Here's the full list of signatories of today's letter, as per the Times:
- Nicholas Judd, Founder and head of investment, 90 North Real Estate Partners LLP
- Matt McLaren, Executive director, Access Ambition Consultancy Services Ltd
- Tony Fernandes, Group chief executive, Air Asia and Founder, Tune Group
- Paul Kahn, President, Airbus Group UK
- Jacqueline Gold CBE, Chief executive, Ann Summers
- Greg Hodkinson, Chairman, Arup
- Andy Clarke, Chief Executive, Asda
- Pascal Soriot, Chief executive, AstraZeneca
- Sir Adrian Montague CBE, Chairman, Aviva
- aul Evans, Group chief executive, AXA UK & Ireland
- Peter Rogers, Chief executive, Babcock International Group
- Sir Roger Carr, Chairman, BAE Systems
- Saghir Munir, Partner/director, Baker & Coleman Solicitors
- Richard John Carter, Managing director, BASF
- Ian Baxter, Chairman, Baxter Freight Limited
- Una Driscoll, Managing director, Belt up Kidz
- Andrew Mackenzie, Chief executive, BHP Billiton
- Helen Gibbons, Director, Bizlang
- Dr Ian Robertson Board, member, BMW AG
- Helena Boas, Co-founder, Bodas
- Bob Dudley, Chief executive, BP
- Chris Grigg, Chief executive, British Land
- Sir Alan Parker, Chairman, Brunswick Group
- Sir Mike Rake, Chairman, BT Group
- Gavin Patterson, Chief executive, BT Group
- Christopher Bailey MBE, Chief executive, Burberry Group
- Sir John Peace, Chairman, Burberry Group
- George Iacobescu CBE, Chairman and chief executive, Canary Wharf Group
- Philip Green, Chairman, Carillion
- Alex Mitchell, Director, Causarma
- AIain C. Conn, Chief executive, Centrica, Utilities
- Sarah Golding, Chief executive and partner, CHI & Partners
- Christopher Satterthwaite, Chief executive, Chime Communications Group
- Laurent Lacassagne, Chairman and chief executive, Chivas Brothers
- Phil Smith, Chief executive, UK and Ireland, Cisco
- Sonny Leong, Chief executive, Civil Service College
- Stephen Clarke, Partner/director, CJCH
- Paul Walsh, Chief executive, Compass Group
- Ian Breminer, Managing director, Complete Coffee
- Professor Geeta Nargund, Founder and chief executive, CREATE Health
- Tidjane Thiam, Chief executive, Credit Suisse
- Kathryn Parsons, Co-founder and chief executive, Decoded
- Cathy Owens, Director, Deryn Consulting
- Ivan Menezes, Chief executive, Diageo
- Peter Callahan, Director, Diamond Dispersions
- Seb James, Chief executive, Dixons Carphone
- Martha Lane Fox CBE, Co-founder, Doteveryone and Lastminute.com
- Tim Gentles, Chief executive, Drill Board Worldwid
- Dame Carolyn McCall, Chief executive; EasyJet
- Lindsley Ruth, Chief executive, Electrocomponents
- Liz Weatherill, Managing director, Enable2 C.I.C
- Amjad Bseisu, Chief executive, Enquest
- Damien Croft, Director, Esplora
- Charlie Shaw, Managing director, Esteiro Business Solutions
- Adam Shuter, Managing director, Exact Logistics
- Roland Rudd, Chairman; FinsburyMedia
- James Farley, Executive vice president and president, Europe, Ford Automotive
- Nacho Morais, Director, Frank Consulting
- Michael Keegan, Executive director, EMEIA, Fujitsu
- Stewart Wingate, Chief executive, Gatwick Airport
- Mark Elborne, UK chief executive, General Electric
- Nigel Stein, Chief executive, GKN
- Hazel Pegg, Director, Glastonbury Online
- Richard Gnodde, Co-chief executive, Goldman Sachs International
- Michael Sherwood, Co-chief executive, Goldman Sachs International
- Tom Gosnell, Managing director, Gosnells Beverages
- Rooney Anand, Chief executive, Greene King
- Juliette Polge de Combret, Director, Green Rendez-Vous
- Sir Andrew Witty, Chief executive, GSK
- Jenny Halpern, Prince Chief executive, Halpern
- David Atkins, Chief Executive, Hammerson
- John Holland-Kaye, Chief executive, Heathrow
- Allen Hogan, Managing director, Hogan's Cider
- Ashley Govier, Managing director, Hotel services Group
- Douglas Flint CBE, Chairman, HSBC
- Stuart Gulliver, Chief executive, HSBC
- Mark Hutchinson, Managing director, Hutchinson Aerotech
- Christian Salbaing, Deputy chairman, Hutchison Whampoa
- Julian Smith, Director, I Am Enterprises Ltd
- David Stokes, CEO, IBM
- Dan Hydes, Managing director, Ignite Data Ltd Research
- Rupert Pearce CEO, Inmarsat Tech
- Ralf Speth KBE, CEO, Jaguar Land Rover
- Mahmood Faiz, Director, James William Estate Agents
- Jane Field, Owner/Founder, Jonny's Sister
- Katharine Pooley, Chief executive and owner, Katharine Pooley Interior design
- Kelly Hoppen MBE, Director, Kelly Hoppen Interiors
- Martin Dare-Edwards, Chief executive officer, Ketonex Ltd
- Veronique Laury CEO, Kingfisher
- Neil Clifford, Chief executive, Kurt Geiger
- Ian Walker, Director, Laundry Republic Ltd
- Sir Julian Horn-Smith Advisory Board Member, Letter One Technology
- Patrick O'Sullivan Chairman of ERS Ltd, Lloyd's of London
- John Nelson Chairman, Lloyd's of London
- Christopher Parker Managing director, London and Scottish International Ltd
- Xavier Rolet KBE CEO, London Stock Exchange
- Debbie Wosskow, Chief executive officer, Love Home Swap Ltd
- Tim Allen, Managing Director, M J Allen Group Ltd
- Jess Burley ,Global CEO, M/ Six
- Mark Reynolds, Chief Executive, Mace Group Infrastructure
- Charlie Cornish, Chief Executive, Manchester Airports Group;
- Martin Lamb, Director, Maple Consulting Ltd
- Christopher Peer Managing Director, Maritime House Limited
- Marc Bolland* CEO, Marks and Spencer
- Rick Haythornthwaite, Chairman, Mastercard
- Ron Dennis CBE, CEO and Chairman, McLaren Technology Group
- Clare Hornby, Founder and Creative Director, ME+EM
- Karen Blackett OBE, Chairwoman, MediaCom
- Sir Nigel Rudd, Chairman, Meggitt Engineering
- Doug Dooley, Managing Director, MICC & TRM Ltd
- Byron Dixon, Chief Executive Officer, Micro-Fresh International
- Kanya King MBE, CEO and Founder, MOBO Organisations Ltd
- Rana Harvey, Managing Director, Monster Group (UK) Ltd
- Fraser Smeaton, Chief Executive, Morphsuits
- Alan Parker CBE, Chairman, Mothercare
- Dean Finch, CEO, National Express Group
- Steve Holliday, CEO, National Grid Utilities
- Mary Nelson, Director, Nelson Browne Management Ltd
- Sam Laidlaw, Chairman, Neptune Oil and Gas
- Miisa Mink, Chairperson, Nordic Bakery Limited
- Andrew Mitchell, Chief Executive, North East Finance Ltd
- Geeta Sidhu-Robb, CEO and Founder, Nosh Detox
- Stuart Rose, Chairman, Ocado Group
- Tim Steiner, CEO, Ocado Group
- Christina Richardson,CMO, Openr
- Charlie Thuillier, Managing Director, Oppo Brothers Limited
- Pia Marocco, Managing Director, Osborne & Partners
- Luke Brynley-Jones, Managing Director, Our Social Times Ltd
- Paul Simpson, Director, Paul Simpson Ltd
- John Fallon, CEO, Pearson Publishing
- Ayman Asfari, CEO, Petrofac
- Graham Spencer, Executive Director, Plants for Europe Ltd
- Scott Rowland, Chief Executive Officer, Precept (UK) Ltd
- Mike Wells, Group Chief Executive, Prudential plc
- Steve Wadey, CEO QinetiQ
- Mary Quicke, Managing Director, Quickes Traditional Ltd
- Raman Sehgal, Director, Ramarketing & PR Ltd
- Gail Rebuck DBE, Chairman, Random House UK
- Graham Chipchase, Chief Executive, Rexam
- Sir Peter Rigby, CEO & Chairman, Rigby Group PLC
- Jan du Plessis, Chairman, Rio Tinto Group
- Warren East CBE, CEO, Rolls Royce
- Ben Van Beurden CEO, Royal Dutch Shell
- Stephen Hester CEO, RSA Insurance Financial Services
- Michael O'Leary, Chief Executive, Ryanair
- Alan Clark, CEO, SABMiller
- Alison Edgar, Managing Director, Sales Coaching Solutions Ltd
- Shriti Vadera, Chair, Santander UK
- Nathan Bostock, CEO, Santander UK
- Caroline Cole, Director, Savoir Faire Accounting Ltd
- Tori Chilcott Co-Founder, ScootaTravel
- Rupert Soames OBE, CEO, SERCO Infrastructure
- Juergen Maier, UK CEO, Siemens Manufacturing
- Mark Lyndon, Director, Signature Marketing Limited
- Simon Barrow, Director, Simon Barrow Associates
- Melanie Goldsmith, Director, Smith & Sinclair Ltd
- Jonathan Grubin, Chief Executive Officer,SoPost Ltd
- Doug Squires, Director, Squires Gear and Engineering Limited
- Bill Winters, CEO, Standard Chartered
- Ian Barnett, Director, Surfanic International Ltd
- Dido Harding, Chief Executive, TalkTalk
- Dr Heather McGregor CBE, CEO, Taylor Bennett
- Ronan Dunne, Chief Executive, Telefonica O2 UK
- Sara Bell CEO, Tempus Energy
- Billy Walker, Managing Director, The Benriach Distillery Company Ltd
- Daniel Williams, Managing Director, The Bottle Shop (Penarth) Ltd
- Jay Risbridger, Director, The Green Stationery Company Ltd
- Sally Greene OBE, Chief Executive, The Old Vic
- Margo Marrone, Co-Founder,The Organic Pharmacy
- Rory Curnock Cook, Director, The Profs Tuition Ltd
- Lady Ruth Rogers MBE, Owner, The River Café
- Niamh Barker, Managing Director, The Travelwrap Company Ltd,
- John Harries, Proprietor, Three Horseshoes Inn
- Stephen Weil, Managing DirectorTI Partners
- Lloyd Dorfman, President, Travelex
- Bernardo Ivo Cruz, Global Managing Partner, True Bridge Consultancy
- Peter Long, Supervisory Board Member & former Chief Executive, TUI Travel
- Olivier Dochez, Chief Executive Officer, Two Guys From Brussels
- Rakesh Sharma, Chief Executive, Ultra Electronics Holdings
- Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever
- Lucian Grainge CBE, Chairman and CEO, Universal Music Group
- Luis Arriaga, Managing Director, UPS UK Ltd
- Kate Unsworth, Founder and CEO,Vinaya
- Peter Berry, Managing Partner, VIP Labels
- Tom Mockridge, Chief Executive, Virgin Media
- Jayne-Anne Gadhia, CEO, Virgin Money
- Ian Taylor, CEO and President, Vitol Energy
- Vittorio Colao, CEO Vodafone
- Sir Peter Kendall, Director, W J Kendall Contracting Limited
- Stefano Pessina, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Walgreens Boots Alliance
- Kasim Ali, Director, Waterloo Tea Limited
- Keith Cochrane, Chief Executive, Weir Group,Engineering
- Sir Terence Matthews, Chairman,Wesley Clover
- Karren Brady, Vice-Chairman, West Ham FC
- Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO, WPP; Creative Industries
- Dr Uwe Kruger, Chief Executive,WS Atkins
- Rich Clothier, Managing Director, Wyke Farms