EU evangelists and a very misleading poll

FIFTEEN years ago, the Confederation of British industry tried to convince the then labour government to sign Britain up to the single currency.

director-general adair T urner was almost evangelical as he promised membership would ‘ give a stimulus to competition and productivity growth ’, while president Sir Clive Thompson personally advised Tony Blair to ‘ get off the fence’ and join.

and what a disaster that would have been. if they’d had their way , we’d now be languishing deep in the financial mire like many of our eurozone neighbours, instead of being one of the most dynamic economies in the developed world. Today the CBi – which represents mainly large companies – is at it again, this time trying to scare people out of voting to pull out of the EU by warning of catastrophic consequences in lost jobs.

To back up its case, it published a poll purporting to show that eight out of ten businesses are opposed to leaving and see the referendum as ‘a choice between shaping the future and retreating into the past’.

a persuasive slogan from a powerful lobby in favour of staying in, one might think. Except that it now appears the poll was cynically rigged.

The CBi is accused of self-selecting the sample from within its own membership, ignoring at least 80 per cent of small and medium-sized businesses – those most oppressed by Brussels red tape. an inquiry is now under way by the British Polling Council, which said the results looked ‘pretty dodgy’.

it also emerged yesterday that the CBi has received £1million from the EU since 2009. Could this have anything to do with its support for the European project?

With so many polarised opinions in this crucial debate on Britain ’s future, it ’s often difficult to know who to believe. and by remaining so frustratingly vague about what his demands are for reform, mr Cameron only adds to the confusion.

But one thing is certain. Those seeking an independent view of the economic arguments would be well advised to take anything the CBi says with a large pinch of salt.