More than twice as many West businesses want the UK to stay in the EU as leave, according to the hotly anticipated results of a major regional survey.
Some 57% of business people said they will vote to remain part of the EU, compared to 26% who say they will back the leave campaign. The poll was staged by Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, to gauge the views of members ahead of the EU referendum on June 23.
The survey results show:
- 57% of businesses plan to vote to remain as part of the EU, with 26% saying they would vote to leave – a 2:1 ratio
- More than a third (39%) of businesses feel they need more information before making an informed decision
- Almost two thirds of exporters (65%) would vote to remain in the EU
- The significant majority of firms believe that leaving the EU would pose a risk to the UK economy (78%), and their business (68%)
- When asked about the Prime Minister’s reform package, three quarters said that it hadn’t affected their voting intentions
Phil Smith, pictured, managing director of Business West, which runs the Bristol Chamber of Commerce and the Bristol Initiative, said: “West Country businesses have differing views on Europe, but a clear majority favour staying in the European Union, with over twice as many business people saying they will vote to stay in the union rather than voting to leave.
“Those businesses who want to stay in the EU say that easy access to the EU Single Market and the greater ability to attract new investment into the UK are major benefits. These firms are worried that leaving the EU would jeopardise the ability to sell into the UK’s largest market and hurt the economy. Other businesses are worried about the uncertainty that leaving the EU would bring, and the lack of clarity about what a potential ‘Brexit’ would look like.
“Over two thirds of businesses feel that leaving the EU would pose a risk to their business, and over three quarters believe is would pose a risk to the UK economy.”
He said those that wanted to leave thought the EU too big and too bossy, and that costly regulations were a barrier to their growth.
“This is notable in particular sectors such as chemicals and food and drink industries, and on some smaller businesses where regulations like the Working Time Directive are seen to be an unnecessary burden,” he said.
Business West’s role in the referendum debate would be to represent the views of its members in a proportionate and informed way, Mr Smith said.
“One of the key messages to come from these findings is the need for better quality, independent, trusted information. Businesses need facts, rather than having to sieve through the noise from both sides. Up until now, businesses think there has been more heat than light in the campaign.
“Over a third of businesses told us that they need more information before making an informed decision, and the key to this debate is just that – an informed decision.”
Over the next three months Business West will continue to talk to businesses of all sizes and sectors to listen to how the EU affects their day to day trade.
“We will be publishing balanced information on how the EU affects local businesses, and the economy as a whole,” he said. “This will be shared with businesses via factsheets and events
“June 23 marks the political date of the decade, and it is imperative that businesspeople have all the facts at their disposal before going to the ballot box.”
The survey findings were based on a sample of 754 chamber of commerce members and Business West members from all sectors and sizes, 96% of which were SMEs.
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.
Two weeks ago it 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.
Phil Smith said he was “appalled” by Mr Longworth’s comments, in which he claimed that the EU was “incapable of meaningful reform”.
Mr Longworth 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. He later resigned.
But Mr Smith described Mr Longworth’s comments as a “very public recommendation that the UK should vote to leave the EU” which did not reflect the views of BCC members.
