The CBI continues to be engulfed in crisis after an insurance trade association was named as one of many members to quit the business lobby group, amid a sexual assault scandal.
The British Insurance Brokers’ Association, which represents 1,800 insurance brokers and intermediaries, confirmed last night it had ripped up its membership card after allegations about senior staff at the CBI emerged earlier this month.
The association – which confirmed it had left but would not comment further – was understood to have told the CBI it was leaving last week.
CBI president Brian McBride has admitted ‘a handful’ of members had left but stressed the number was in ‘single-digits’, in an interview with The Financial Times.
Ousted: The CBI’s former boss Tony Danker (pictured) was sacked after he apologised for his conduct which included sending a barrage of unwanted messages to a female colleague
McBride asked members, the public and the Government to ‘judge us on what we do’ after the publication of an investigation into the second wave of allegations.
Engine maker Rolls-Royce is one of the big names that has said publicly it is awaiting the outcome of the probe before choosing whether to remain part of the group.
In a statement, the company dubbed the allegations ‘deeply concerning’.
The CBI, which represents 190,000 businesses across the country, is facing an existential crisis after the claims.
Without members’ subscriptions, the group will lose the funding it needs to hold high-profile conferences and maintain a public presence.
Former director general Tony Danker was sacked last week after he apologised for his conduct, which included sending a barrage of unwanted messages to a female colleague.
Meanwhile, City of London police are investigating separate claims which emerged last week that saw three members of staff suspended.
One woman said she was raped at a CBI staff party on a boat on the River Thames in 2019. There were also claims of widespread cocaine use.
The CBI has tried to address the damage by replacing Danker with Rain Newton-Smith, its former chief economist.
But one senior industry figure told the Mail: ‘I don’t see they have sorted anything.
‘They have fired their director general without due process and hired a replacement likewise – a replacement who was a senior leader when the alleged incidents took place.’
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