The bosses of more than a third of Britain’s top companies on Tuesday urged voters to keep the country in the European Union, warning that a “Brexit” would threaten jobs.
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The letter said the Prime Minister David Cameron had secured a commitment from the European Union “to reduce the burden of regulation, deepen the single market and to sign-off crucial worldwide trade deals”.
Organised by the Britain Stronger in Europe “In” campaign with the support of Cameron’s Downing Street office, the letter was signed by bosses at almost 200 companies.
Those signing the letter included the chief executives or chairman of 36 FTSE 100 companies however many large firms opted not to sign the letter, preferring instead to stay neutral in the highly charged debate.
Mr Cameron was due to make an announcement in the British Parliament today and soon the two “official” referendum campaigns – Stay and Leave – will receive legal designation from the UK Electoral Commission.
“I just want people to know that I am speaking about this after thinking about it very, very deeply – after thinking about all the things I have learned as Prime Minister over the last six years”, he told staff members at BT in Swindon.
“This is a vital decision for the future of our country, and I believe we should also be clear that it is a final decision”.
But more than a hundred Conservative MPs say they want to leave the European Union, including Boris Johnson.
Airbus Group UK did sign the anti-Brexit letter, however, and Nissan – which did not – said its preference was for Britain to remain in the EU. I’m not. I may well vote out – and, having always been sceptical of the lack of democracy and dearth of bureaucracy in Brussels, plus the grave macroeconomic dangers posed by the euro, that’s the way I’m leaning.
In the Commons on Monday, Mr Cameron had appeared to take a swipe at Mr Johnson suggesting that the London mayor was using the referendum to further his Conservative Party leadership ambitions.
Several members of the cabinet, including Boris Johnson and work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith, have, however, said they will argue for Britain to leave.
“We think this is more a European versus non-European issue, rather than sterling versus non-sterling issue”, said Barclays currency strategist Nikolaos Sgouropoulos in London.
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“UK airlines now compete successfully on routes right across Europe, taking full advantage of the “open skies” created by the EU”.
