Politics

Business leader Sir John Hegarty attacks Boris Johnson over ‘disastrous’ no deal plans



Boris Johnson was today singled out for criticism by a business chief who accused Conservative leadership candidates of “destroying” their party’s image as the party of the economy and “abandoning what they are about”.

Advertising executive Sir John Hegarty picked on the former foreign secretary’s reported private comment “f*** business” as evidence that senior Conservatives were trashing their own brand.

“Here we have a situation where one of the potential leaders of the party has expressed various views about business with an expletive that we do not have to repeat here,” he told Radio 4’s Today programme.

“We have other contenders for the leadership campaigning for no-deal [Brexit] which businesses are saying would be disastrous for them.”

Sir John, one of the founders of the advertising agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty, said eurosceptic candidates were “pandering to a view rather than leading a view” and risked locking themselves into a disorderly Brexit that could wipe out jobs.

Sir John Hegarty pictured earlier this month (Getty Images)

“They are abandoning what they are about,” he said.

His comments came as the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) issued an open letter to the leadership candidates warning that a no-deal Brexit would cause “severe” damage to British interests.

Mr Johnson was defended by his former chief economic adviser, economist Gerard Lyons, who said: “When Boris was mayor he did a phenomenal amount to champion businesses both here and overseas.”

Asked about Mr Johnson’s reported four-letter outburst, Mr Lyons admitted: “They are not words that I would use.”

Leadership rival Health Secretary Matt Hancock took a swipe at Mr Johnson’s past comments in a tweet saying: “Let’s back business, not bash business.” Earlier this week in an interview Mr Hancock said: “To the people who say ‘f*** business’, I say ‘f***, f*** business’.”

A source close to Mr Johnson said the expletive had been “ruthlessly” quoted out of context in an attempt to smear his reputation.

The remark, made at a private function, was specifically used in relation to business groups that Mr Johnson felt were failing to represent the full range of firms and were, in his view, “peddling pro-EU propaganda”.

“If you look at Boris’s actual record over 30 years you would struggle to find anyone more dedicated to the cause of businesses both big and small,” he said.

CBI director-general Carolyn Fairbairn urged the next prime minister to reach an agreement with Brussels, warning that the “vast majority of firms can never be prepared for no-deal”. She also said they would need to listen to “clear, detailed evidence” from businesses when deciding on their Brexit approach.

Tory leadership contender Esther McVey has said the UK needs to “actively embrace leaving the EU without a deal” while rivals Mr Johnson and Dominic Raab have both said they would work to renegotiate the terms on offer with Brussels but would make sure the UK leaves on October 31, with or without an agreement.

In an open letter to the participants in the race for Number 10, Ms Fairbairn said: “The next prime minister can only claim the Conservatives are the party of business if they secure a Brexit deal that protects the economy, jobs and living standards.

“Firms large and small are clear that leaving the EU with a deal is the best way forward.”



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