Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, has stepped into the row over British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) director-general John Longworth’s support for the Vote Leave campaign in the EU referendum.
Business West managing director Phil Smith, pictured, said he was “appalled” by Mr Longworth’s comments, in which claimed that the EU was “incapable of meaningful reform”. 
Mr Longworth told the BCC’s annual conference that Prime Minister David Cameron’s negotiations for a reformed EU “fell far short of what” the organisation had been hoping for and that the UK’s had “the capacity and capability to create a bright economic future outside of the EU”.
He insisted his comments had been made in a personal capacity but was suspended for breaching the group’s official position of neutrality on the referendum, triggering a row over whether political pressure from the pro-EU lobby had forced him out. He has since resigned.
Mr Smith described Mr Longworth’s comments as a “very public recommendation that the UK should vote to leave the EU”.
He said: “Chambers up and down the country are at this time carefully listening to their members views and ensuring that we properly represent our business community in this very important and complicated issue.
“I don’t believe that John had a mandate from the 50 or so British Accredited Chambers of Commerce that he is supposed to represent.”
Business West, which covers Bristol, Bath, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, is the UK’s largest network of chambers of commerce, representing more than 16,000 businesses across the South West, including through Bristol Chamber of Commerce. It also runs the Bristol Initiative.
Bristol Chamber members have recently received emails asking them to take part in a BCC survey on the EU and their views on whether the UK would be better staying in or leaving.
An earlier survey of BCC members showed that 60% would vote to stay in the EU, 30% would vote to leave with 10% undecided.
The BBC’s Accredited Chambers of Commerce serve more than 100,000 businesses across the UK, employing 5m-plus people.
