Government suspends relationship with CBI after more than a dozen women came forward with claims of sexual misconduct by senior men, including Thames boat party rape claim
The government has ‘paused’ cooperation with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) pending the outcome of inquiries into alleged sexual misconduct by senior CBI staff, according to Treasury sources.
The allegations were brought forward by more than a dozen women who work or worked for the organization, following separate complaints filed against CBI Director General Tony Danker, 51, as revealed by The Guardian.
Danker resigned from his position last month while the unrelated allegations were investigated and apologized for any inadvertent wrongdoing.
A CBI spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘We understand the government’s decision to pause involvement pending the outcome of the independent inquiry.
“Shortly after Easter, the CBI board expects preliminary findings and actions from the first phase of the investigation.”
It was previously reported that the CBI had postponed all public events as it investigated allegations of drug use and sexual misconduct, including the alleged rape of a woman at a staff boat party on the River Thames.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (R) answers questions with then CBI Director General Tony Danker (L) at the CBI conference in Birmingham on November 21, 2022. Danker has since resigned from his post pending an investigation into alleged CBI sexual misconduct -staff
The Treasury Department, along with ministers from the Department of Trade and Commerce, will stop cooperating with the lobby group until the allegations are fully investigated.
Fox Williams LLP, a London law firm, has been hired to conduct the independent investigation.
The new allegations unrelated to Tony Danker include the alleged rape of a woman at a boat party on the Thames in 2019.
At the same party, a woman claims she was sexually assaulted by a manager.
The alleged rape victim told The Guardian that her alleged attacker had advised her to seek advice rather than pursue the case.
The CBI said: ‘We have found no evidence or record of this case. Given the seriousness of the problem, it is part of the independent investigation conducted by [law firm] Fox Williams.”
A senior manager allegedly sent explicit photos to a junior employee separately.
Alleged victims have said senior managers behaved unprofessionally during their time with the company by making “sexualized remarks” and touching employees.
It was alleged that the CBI was a ‘widely distributedculture of drug use at events, and women claimed to feel “pushed” to drink alcohol.
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey canceled his attendance at the annual dinner scheduled for May 11 in light of the scandal.
The CBI has since taken a temporary break for external events.
A spokesperson for the organization said: “After Easter, the board hopes to have preliminary findings and actions from the first phase of the investigation and will review, among other things, this pause in event activity at that time.”
Then-Director-General Danker speaks at the CBI’s annual dinner in London, May 18, 2022
Founded in 1965, the CBI is a non-profit organization that advances business interests by lobbying and advising governments.
It claims to campaign for 190,000 businesses, provide advice across industries and promote equity, including supporting more people into work.
Matthew Fell has been appointed deputy director general since Danker’s decision to step down in March.