Britain’s biggest employers’ group on Monday intensified its campaign to keep the country in a reformed European Union, saying that membership was “overwhelmingly” in the country’s interest.
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said at the start of its national conference that membership was worth between £62 billion (HK$481 billion) and £78 billion, about four to five per cent of Britain’s total output.
“We have looked beyond the political rhetoric to examine the pros and cons of EU membership and British business is unequivocal - the single market is fundamental to our future,” said director general John Cridland.
Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to win back some powers from Brussels and then put the new terms of Britain’s membership to the public in an in-out referendum by the end of 2017.
British business is unequivocal - the single market is fundamental to our future
The CBI said that 78 per cent of firms it surveyed favoured staying in the EU, with 10 per cent preferring to leave.
