Vote Leave: Exxon Is CBI's Only EU Backer

One of the groups campaigning for Britain to leave the European Union (EU) has reignited its row with the UK's biggest employers' body by claiming only a fraction of the CBI's members are supportive of its stance on the looming referendum.

Sky News has obtained new research undertaken by Vote Leave, which recently wrote to members of the CBI’s president's committee and a number of its leading trade association members to ask whether they "supported the CBI's plans to campaign on the EU".

Just 13 of the recipients responded to the letter, and only one of those - Exxon Mobil (Swiss: XOM.SW - news) , the US oil giant - indicated that it backed the CBI’s work, saying that a decision to leave the EU would be contrary to the company's interests.

According to Vote Leave, John Chaplin, chairman and production director of Exxon's international business, wrote that: "Any change to the UK's relationship with the EU that undermined this free movement would be damaging to our business interests.

"Much of the policy and regulation that impacts our businesses in the UK is determined at EU level."

The CBI has disputed most of Vote Leave's assertions about its position on the EU referendum and its funding, with Carolyn Fairbairn, its new director-general, promising to consult again with its membership once the outcome of David Cameron’s reform negotiations are clear.

Its stated position is that it supports Britain retaining its membership of a reformed EU.

Vote Leave claimed this weekend that the lack of explicit support for the CBI in the responses to its letter undermined the ability of the employers’ group to claim that it speaks for British business on the subject of Europe.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of Vote Leave, said on Saturday (Shenzhen: 002291.SZ - news) : "Just one company we wrote to is supportive of the CBI's plans to campaign for the UK to stay in the EU regardless.

"The EU-funded CBI does not represent British businesses. It (Other OTC: ITGL - news) represents the interests of a small number of huge companies that hire expensive lobbyists often to crush entrepreneurs and small business competition.

"It represents the EU Commission to the UK media. Its voice should not be trusted in the referendum."

Two of the respondents to Vote Leave's letter - the Scotch Whisky Association and TechUK, a membership body for technology companies - have said they support Britain remaining in the EU.

The release of Vote Leave's latest research this weekend is the latest exchange between the pro-Brexit group and the CBI, which saw its annual conference in November disrupted by anti-EU protesters during a speech by the Prime Minister.

Last month, Ms Fairbairn called on Vote Leave to explain "how businesses and employees [could] be reassured that departure would not have an adverse impact on UK jobs and living standards", and "how long might the process of disengagement be expected to take, and how the impact of uncertainty on investment might be mitigated".

She (Munich: SOQ.MU - news) added that the CBI represented thousands of business "and we ask them about the impact of the EU on jobs, growth and investment”, while Vote Leave spoke “for individuals selected for their views on the EU".

"Both have a role in robust democratic debate, but the British public has a right to know the difference," she said.

The CBI has said that it supports Britain remaining in a reformed EU, but has pledged to conduct another round of consultation when the Prime Minister's reform negotiations are complete.

"Though the 45 million people eligible to vote in this country will be considering a wide range of factors in their decision, the impact of the UK's EU relationship on jobs, growth and the future prosperity of our country is one of the most important," Ms Fairbairn wrote last month.

"Only business itself can provide this perspective, and I am personally committed to ensuring this happens (Other OTC: UBGXF - news) ."