The CBI has responded to a speech by leader of the
opposition, , at the 2017 CBI Annual
Conference.
Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI Director-General,
said:
“ focused on the common ground
between business and Labour. There is a shared
aim: Industrial Strategy and Brexit must be focused on
building a fair, innovative and productive UK economy where
society benefits. But there are fundamental differences on
the ways to get there.
“It is clear that competitive markets are the best way to
improve people’s lives. Abandoning this model will hurt
those who need help most and make the UK a laggard in the global
race for investment.
On Industrial Strategy, Carolyn
said:
“Both businesses and Labour are determined to find ways to
lift productivity and improve living standards in communities
across the UK. Proposals on skills, innovation and infrastructure
have potential, and these should be refined hand-in-hand with
responsible business to ensure they are funded in a way that
doesn’t cost jobs.
“Labour should recognise that their vision of significant
state intervention including nationalisation, PFI and government
procurement, would undermine such ambitions.
“If a new industrial strategy is to stand the test of time,
finding common ground with business is important. But Labour and
the Government must work to find their own common ground so that
approaches to skills, innovation and infrastructure do not
continue to change with each political cycle.
On Brexit, she said:
“Labour are right that agreeing a transition deal as soon
as possible is mission critical to maintain business confidence.
There is cross party agreement on this now and so this is the
time for urgent action.
On tax proposals, Carolyn said:
“The CBI has always supported efforts to crack-down
on aggressive avoidance and evasion. All businesses and
their leaders must take an honest look at how their tax affairs
operate to ensure that we are all doing the best we can to build
and maintain trust in the business community. We look
forward to engaging with the in this spirit on this
important issue.
On harassment in the workplace,
she said:
“Sexual harassment in all forms is totally unacceptable and
has no place in any workplace in this country. Businesses take
the wellbeing and welfare of their employees very seriously, but
there is no place for complacency as this sadly remains all too
common. The UK’s business leaders are determined to stamp out
sexual harassment in the workplace.”
