The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is sweating on a crunch vote that will determine if it has a future.
The embattled business lobby group is facing a revolt from its members, who are angry about a series of governance failings that have been exposed in recent months.
In particular, members are furious about the way in which the CBI’s former director-general, John Cridland, was allowed to resign with a £700,000 payoff, despite being found to have broken the group’s code of conduct.
They are also concerned about the way in which the CBI has been run by its current chairman, John Allan, who has been accused of being too close to the government.
The CBI has been trying to address these concerns by launching a major overhaul of its governance structures. However, it is unclear whether these reforms will be enough to win back the trust of its members.
A vote on the CBI’s future is due to be held on June 15. If the reforms are rejected, it is possible that the CBI could be dissolved.
The CBI is a powerful force in British business, and its collapse would be a major blow to the country’s economy. However, it is clear that the group’s members are no longer willing to tolerate the way in which it is being run.
If the CBI is to survive, it will need to make significant changes to the way in which it operates. It will need to show that it is truly independent of the government and that it is committed to representing the interests of all businesses, not just the biggest and most powerful ones.
Only time will tell whether the CBI will be able to do this. However, the vote on June 15 will be a major test of its future.
