CBI annual dinner in doubt after misconduct claims

The CBI is in talks about whether to postpone its annual dinner after the emergence of sexual misconduct claims against the business lobby group.

The yearly gathering - at which the chancellor is usually the keynote speaker - is scheduled for 11 May.

The CBI is facing a number of claims, including sexual assault, and has hired a law firm to investigate.

It said it "has treated and continues to treat all matters of workplace conduct with the utmost seriousness".

Sources said Chancellor Jeremy Hunt was not due to attend this year's dinner because he is out of the country but a senior government figure had been set to go.

A decision on whether the dinner will proceed could come imminently.

The BBC also understands that a guest speaker has pulled out of a CBI event in Northern Ireland.

The woman told the newspaper she felt let down by a CBI manager who, she claims, advised her to seek out counselling rather than pursue the matter further.

A CBI spokesperson said: "We have found no evidence or record of this matter. Given the seriousness of the issue, it is part of the independent investigation being conducted by Fox Williams."

The organisation's director general, Tony Danker, recently stepped aside pending an investigation into separate alleged incidents, for which he has "apologised profusely" and claimed "was completely unintentional".

The BBC understands that these new allegations published by the Guardian do not relate to Mr Danker.

Some company executives who are members of the CBI have described this as an existential crisis for an organisation that describes itself as the "most effective and influential" business organisation representing 190,000 businesses across the UK.

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