Greater Birmingham Chamber won’t lobby on EU referendum

BUSINESS leaders in Birmingham have galvanised their efforts to try and arrive at a consensus on Europe ahead of June’s crucial referendum.

However, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) has said it will not campaign either to leave or remain in the EU.

Instead it said it would be organising a series of events to help business leaders form a view on the EU issue and what is best for Britain.

Preliminary surveys have indicated that businesses in the region are divided on the in-or-out issue.

Related: JLR chief among business leaders urging EU “in” vote
 
Paul Faulkner, chief executive of the GBCC, said: “The chamber will be working hard to deliver clarity and cut through the biases in this highly emotive debate.
 
“With that in mind we are organising a series of events which will help people understand the issues for business and the consequences of staying in or leaving.
 
“In the months leading up to the referendum, we will actively join the British Chambers of Commerce by surveying business opinion and informing the debate. Additionally, we will be demanding clear information and facts from both the Remain and Leave campaigns so that businesspeople can make an informed choice at the ballot box.”
 
The results of initial surveys suggest opinion is divided down the middle and if a vote were held tomorrow then 50% of BCC members would vote for Britain to stay in the EU and 38% would vote for Britain to leave.
 
“As a result we will not be campaigning for either Remain or Leave, given the very real divisions that exist in business communities across the UK,” said Faulkner.
 
“But as the debate warms up, we intend to stay on top of the key issues that matter to businesses and keep people informed over the four months before the referendum.”
 
The real test for the both sides of the argument is whether they can deliver tangible benefits, he added.
 
Elsewhere, Mike Cherry, policy director for the Federation of Small Businesses, said his organisation would have a critical role to play in the months leading up to the vote.

“The FSB’s role as the voice of smaller businesses will be critical when the referendum campaign officially begins. Our research shows small business owners want both official campaigns to focus on the practical impact that remaining within or leaving the EU would have on their firms. We will push both sides to address the questions our members want to see answered, before they cast their vote,” he said.