CBI In Meltdown As U.K. Retailers Quit Amid Further Shocking Claims

The U.K.’s biggest retailers were abandoning scandal-rocked British industry body the CBI this afternoon, suspending or terminating their membership hours after additional allegations of rape and sexual harassment were made against staff at Britain’s leading business lobby group.

Some have suspended membership, others have quit the CBI already.

Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer and B&Q owner and European DIY market leader Kingfisher have added their names to a lengthening list including Lidl, former Walmart-owned Asda – which was one of the first companies to pause its engagement with the CBI (Confederation of British Industry) – plus consumer-facing groups such as Unilever, Reckitt Benckiser, Diageo, Rolls Royce and Land Rover.

Tech giants Meta and Uber have also suspended membership, along with financial institutions, oil and gas giants, plus retail landlords The Crown Estate and British Land.

The list is growing longer today with each new Twitter update.

The CBI claims to represent 190,000 businesses and is arguably the most prestigious and influential lobby group for the British business community and the interest of U.K. PLC.

Or at least it was.

That was until an extraordinary scandal engulfed the organization.

The CBI has now hired law firm Fox Williams to independently investigate a host of allegations reported to U.K. media group The Guardian, including shocking allegations by a woman who says she was raped by two male colleagues when she was working at a CBI overseas office.

Today’s revelations mark the second allegation of rape involving CBI workers after another staff member claimed she was raped by a manager on a 2019 summer boat party on the River Thames in London.

The City of London Police launched its own investigation into these allegations last week.

The CBI had already dismissed its director general Tony Danker, whose conduct was part of a separate investigation by Fox Williams, related to allegations about his behaviour and not the further revelations.

Sacked Danker Hits Back

Danker has come out swinging, claiming to be the “fall guy” in an interview with the BBC on Tuesday this week over further allegations that were unconnected with his own conduct and lamenting his “trashed” reputation.

Among the retailers suspending membership, Asda said in a statement: “We are aware that further allegations have been made against the CBI and have decided to pause our engagement with them while these are investigated.”

A Tesco spokesperson said: “We are deeply concerned by these very serious allegations and we have paused our membership of the CBI with immediate effect.”

“Our hearts go out to any women who have been victims of the behaviour described,” Brian McBride, president of the CBI, said in a statement.

“While the CBI was not previously aware of the most serious allegations, it is vital that they are thoroughly investigated now and we are liaising closely with the police to help ensure any perpetrators are brought to justice. The board will communicate its response to this and the other steps we are taking to bring about the wider change that is needed early next week.”

Attempting to stem the mass desertion from the body, which may well be irreparably damaged by the volume and severity of the accusations, the return of former CBI chief economist Rain Newton-Smith from Barclays has been fast-tracked.

The intention is that she will assume the vacated director-general’s office within days, although whether she chooses to pick up this poisoned chalice is another matter.