The FT reports:
Nick Clegg yesterday made a very public display of engagement with business over Europe as the deputy prime minister convened a business breakfast with Business For New Europe, a pro-single market group. Mr Clegg, flanked by Vince Cable, Danny Alexander, Chris Huhne David Laws, wanted to get the message across that he had dusted himself down and was ready to begin work on rebuilding relations on the continent after a bruising week for Britain.
But beyond the photo shoot and crafted media message lines, was a second, more exclusive meeting between Mr Clegg and the director-generals of key lobby groups. This meeting wasn’t briefed out but was apparently a quite detailed debate about tactics going forward.
“We pooled intelligence and talked about how big inward investors want reassurance about Britain’s place in Europe,” said one attendee, who described the deputy prime minister’s mood as “workmanlike”.
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2 Comments
This is an excellent initiative. Business leaders do NOT want the UK to be marginalised in discussions over the workings/discussions of the Single European Market. If I were an exporting business person, I should not be giving any money to the Conservative party right now.
Lib Dems should definitely be championing the interests of business (and being part of the Euro market), in contrast to the Conservatives’ championing of the interests of the City.
The two interests do not really overlap.
Economic Liberalism? If this is within the context of being an active part of the EU, we have the basis for a very strong Lib Dem identity.