Top UK firms invited to join new lobby group amid CBI chaos

SOME of the UK’s biggest banks, retailers and telecommunications companies have been invited to join a new business lobby group being set up following the exodus from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Sky News’ City editor Mark Kleinman reported on Saturday (Apr 22).

BizUK, an emergency body being created by public affairs firm WPI Strategy after discussions with Conservative and Labour Party officials, would support the representation of business to the main political parties as they prepare for a general election due by January 2025.

The Sky report cited a letter by WPI’s director Nick Faith to FTSE 100 companies. Faith declined to comment to Sky, which said BizUK will be a temporary body and is not trying to replace CBI.

CBI, the UK’s main business lobby group, has suspended large parts of its operations after dozens of major companies resigned from the organisation following new allegations of sexual assault among its staff. BLOOMBERG