CBI frozen out of meetings with other leading UK business lobby groups

The new CBI head, Rain Newton-Smith. Other members of the ‘B5’ lobbying groups say it is too soon for the CBI to be readmitted. Photograph: Tayfun Salcı/Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock

The Confederation of British Industry has been frozen out of regular meetings with other leading business lobby groups, hampering its fight for survival after a sexual misconduct scandal.

Formerly Britain’s leading voice for business, the CBI has been battling to overhaul its culture and regain trust after multiple allegations of misconduct were made by female employees, including two who said they were raped. Those allegations resulted in an exodus of members from John Lewis to Aviva and led Labour and the Conservatives to cut ties with the organisation.