306 business figures back Vote Leave in letter to Telegraph

[Winterbiscuit]

306 business figures are supporting Vote Leave in a letter to the Telegraph.

Britain’s competitiveness is undermined by a failing EU

"It is business – not government – which generates wealth for the Treasury and jobs for our communities. Outside the EU, British business will be free to grow faster, expand into new markets and create more jobs. It’s time to vote leave and take back control."

I find the economist tends to be on the conservative side (small c) of things, but its leader articles and economic analysis can be extremely accurate and well thought out.

Not sure about how it apllies in certain industries, but broadly its economic analysis tends to be quite good.

British Chambers of Commerce says support growing for Brexit

"Looking purely at firms which do not sell goods or services to the EU a minority of respondents to the BCC survey, but a majority of British businesses overall more wanted to leave the EU than to stay, the BCC said.

John Longworth, who had to step down as BCC director general in March after expressing support for Brexit, and now campaigns for a 'Leave' vote, said these non-exporting firms were more representative of British business than other BCC members.

"Despite the claims of the pro-EU camp to the contrary, business is not fearful of the referendum or the result," he said in a statement released by the Vote Leave campaign group."

But the majority are still wanting to remain...

It's certainly of interest that the gap has closed significantly as people do their own research.

The poll result was significantly swayed by the rather small percentage of UK businesses who sell goods/services to the EU, and who responded to the survey in greater proportion.

The result from those who do no business with the EU, which are the majority of businesses in the UK, was "Leave".

The CBI, representing mostly larger firms than the BCC, says 80 per cent of its members favour "Remain". Big business like the EU as it's in its own interests.

But still only 37% said they would vote leave, where as 54% said they would vote to remain, which is a majority.

The CBI data showed that 77% of SMEs ( not bigger businesses) said that they would vote to remain.

Yes, I know what a majority is and yes, 54 per cent of respondents to the BCC poll voted remain. I was moving on from that, to break down the statistics and to consider why they may differ between business types. It would also be interesting to know why overall business support for the EU has dropped several percentage points.

I agree it would be interesting, but a wider survey of the same people each time would be more interesting for this data. They asked 2,000 people, but did they ask the same people as last time etc.

I doubt the poll of 306 businesses or 1234 other businesses matters one jot with the average voter.

Each side is just going through the motions because that's what they expect of each other.

I am actually surprised at the publicity REMAIN are giving to unpopular companies like Ryanair (not universally liked by the public) or Goldman Sachs ( a year ago the bankers were held in contempt).

This is head-out-of-the-weeds stuff. Everyone will have their own reason for deciding which way to vote.

I have heard a hundred people give a 100 different reasons.

But I can now spot a REMAIN/LEAVE voter about 7/10 times by what they are wearing, doing, time of day, etc.

Age is not the great predictor that everyone thinks it is.

Neither is ethnicity as Channel 4 was trying to suggest this evening.

Neither is nationality - although the Irish do seem to be very pro-EU.

I am actually surprised at the publicity REMAIN are giving to unpopular companies like Ryanair (not universally liked by the public) or Goldman Sachs ( a year ago the bankers were held in contempt) Very surprised at this as well. I can't believe that people are prepared to take advice from the very same derided bankers. How come they can make good decisions all of a sudden?

The remain campaign have had the 200 ftse execs, the cbi, bbc and many others come out in support. The exit campaign have this rather desperately put together group and people like Tim Martin in support of them.

I know who I'm going to believe in terms of business.

But I can now spot a REMAIN/LEAVE voter about 7/10 times by what they are wearing, doing, time of day, etc.
Age is not the great predictor that everyone thinks it is.
Neither is ethnicity as Channel 4 was trying to suggest this evening.
Neither is nationality - although the Irish do seem to be very pro-EU.

Not surprised by nationality or ethnicity, but a bit surprised by age as YouGov found it was a major predictor. Interesting, though!

I bet you'd spot me 3 miles away as a Remain

What cause your knuckles don't drag on the floor? Don't have hairy hands and feet, eyes the normal space apart?

(Disclaimer: JOKE)

I carry my Guardian Member bag everywhere with me

I take mine to the farmers market, in the basket of my ethnic peace bicycle whilst wearing fair trade clothing ( second hand of course) and talking on my Iphone.

Im not surprised they want out people like Pizza Express, Las Iguanas etc no doubt the ones who charge you for 'processing your tips' as then they don't have to be as diligent, fitness for purpose etc can drive wages and conditions down, normalizing 70, 80 hour weeks, no legal breaks, etc its no wonder they in.

Priti Patel is insane. Membership of the EU doesn't prevent us from adding experienced curry chefs to the highly skilled list if we wanted to.

It's not a zero-sum game between EU and other immigrants, other than that they both contribute to the government's own made-up arbitrary target.

"Priti Patel is insane" Hell yeah!

We should be asking why curry chefs all have to come in from abroad. Presumably, because people born and/or brought up here won't do the work? Anything to do with wages and conditions that would not look out of place in a 14th century tavern? Europe is not and will not be the real problem there.

We should be asking why curry chefs all have to come in from abroad.

I agree. The restaurant owners say they want the 'authenticity' of an Asian-trained curry chef.

Presumably, because people born and/or brought up here won't do the work?

Seems they don't have the skills.

Anything to do with wages and conditions that would not look out of place in a 14th century tavern?

No. because in order to 'import' a curry chef from a non-EU country the Home Office insists that the 'imported' curry chef has to earn at least £35,000 a year - which is hardly poverty wages. The restaurant owners were on Radio 5 last week complaining about the cost of paying those high wages.

Europe is not and will not be the real problem there.

The problem that patel is trying to highlight is that any EU citizen can come and live and work in the Uk, should they chose to do so, whereas anyone from the rest of the world is subject to strict immigration controls that mean they must meet qualifying tests such as the £35,000 a year test. patel is saying that because of this the UK cannot easily import the skills we need from countries across the world.

the example of a curry chef is a very poor example and the Vote Leave campaign would have done better to highlight the problems that Indian doctors or Australian teachers or Canadian civil engineers or any of our Commonwealth citizens have in getting permission to come to the UK to bring the skills that enrich our economy.

I simply do not believe that people here could not learn to cook 'authentic' curry; and I find it difficult to believe many of them do actually get paid the salary they are supposed to get. But never mind, I take your points.

However, the fact that we now import so many vital skills instead of imparting them to those already here is a scandal, really.

I find it fascinating that none of these curry houses have any kind of apprenticeship scheme up and down the country being run by classically Asian trained chefs.........