ANALYSIS

(considerable though they are) of the BCC or BizUK. It’ll come down to Britain’s politicians. Right now, CBI staff are personae non gratae with both the Tories and Labour - which is unhelpful, to say the least, as a lobbying outfit whose key selling pitch is access to senior decision makers. The problem for the CBI is twofold; one, the historic animus between some in the Tory party and the body over Brexit and two, the power of the herd. There is little that can be done about the former unless high-profile members rally round new CEO Rain Newton-Smith and force Downing Street’s hand; but who is going to be first to stick their head over the parapet for an organisation still mired in misconduct claims, taking on the media round to explain why?

Tomorrow’s one-member, one-vote is unhelpfully shrouded in mystery, with no plans to release either the overall result nor which members backed the body’s new change agenda. The odds suggest the CBI will win that vote, but that’s only the start of the body’s fightback. AS.