UK ministers suspend contact with CBI after sexual misconduct claims

The UK government has suspended meetings with the Confederation of British Industry, after allegations of sexual misconduct by staff at the business lobby group.

Engagement between Whitehall departments and the CBI had been “paused” pending the outcome of an investigation into a claims of rape, sexual harassment and drug-taking.

"We are postponing ministerial engagement with the CBI until the legal investigation has concluded," the Department for Business and Trade said, with media reporting that the Treasury had also stopped holding meetings with the organisation.

The investigation comes after the Guardian newspaper reported allegations from more than a dozen women who said that they had been victims of various forms of sexual misconduct by senior CBI figures.

One woman alleged she had been raped during a staff party in 2019 and was later told by a manager to get counselling rather than pursue the issue further. The woman said she had not reported the incident to police, and the CBI told the newspaper it had no record of it.

The group has cancelled all forthcoming events including its annual dinner in central London on May 11. The Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey, had been due to speak at the event but withdrew following the Guardian’s report.

A spokesperson for the CBI said: "We understand the government’s decision to pause engagement pending the outcome of the independent investigation. Soon after Easter, the CBI board expects to have preliminary findings and actions from the first phase of the investigation."

Separately claims have been made about the conduct of CBI director-general Tony Danker, last month that prompted him to step aside while they were investigated.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com