London Daily

Focus on the big picture.

Sunak rolls out ministerial army in bid to charm private sector chiefs

Sunak rolls out ministerial army in bid to charm private sector chiefs

Six Cabinet ministers and 15 of their junior colleagues will attend Business Connect as the PM tries to fend off Labour's private sector charm offensive.

More than 20 ministers will attend a summit with corporate chiefs on Monday as Rishi Sunak attempts to mount a fresh private sector charm offensive.

Sky News has obtained a full list of ministers who are due to attend Business Connect, an event being held at a central London venue to discuss issues such as skills, innovation, and visa reform.

Alongside Mr Sunak, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch, other cabinet attendees include Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer and Oliver Dowden, who was named deputy prime minister after Dominic Raab's resignation on Friday.

Among other ministers due to be at the summit are science minister George Freeman; Andrew Griffith, the City minister; and Nusrat Ghani, whose remit includes the Investment Security Unit.

The PM's new special adviser on business and trade, Franck Petitgas, a former senior executive at the Wall Street giant Morgan Stanley, will also attend.

Earlier this month, Sky News reported that the PM had convened the event amid intense efforts by Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, to pitch Labour as the new party of business.

Under Sir Keir, Labour has been trying to reposition itself in the eyes of traditionally Tory-supporting bosses, and has won qualified endorsements from the likes of John Allan, the Tesco chairman, and Paul Drechsler, the former CBI president.

It recently emerged that the party was charging £15,000 for membership of the Labour Business network - an initiative that marks a clear dividing line with his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn.

Sir Keir Starmer is pitching Labour as the new party of business


Sources said those attending from the private sector were expected to include Dame Carolyn McCall, the ITV chief executive; Liv Garfield, CEO of Severn Trent; Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy; Adrian Mardell, boss of Jaguar Land Rover; Seb James, who runs Boots the Chemist; Claire Barclay, UK CEO of Microsoft; Gerry Murphy, the Burberry chairman; and Jon Holt, who runs KPMG UK.

The event will take place during a period of shock at the sudden unravelling of the CBI, the business lobby group, which would typically have been represented at events such as Business Connect.

Downing Street has been contacted for comment.

Newsletter

Related Articles

London Daily
0:00
0:00
Close
Watchdog Recommends Expanding Acceptable ID for Voting
Internet Surpasses TV as UK's Leading News Source
House of Lords Warns UK Must Address Unsustainable Debt
Victims Unaware of Offenders' Early Release in England and Wales
Top Former US Military Leaders Endorse Kamala Harris, Criticize Trump
Kate Middleton Completes Chemotherapy, Gains New Perspective
Australia Implements Minimum Age for Social Media Use
Kim Jong Un Announces Increase in North Korea's Nuclear Arsenal
Chancellor Faces Labour MPs Over Winter Fuel Allowance Cut
Report Criticizes Sunak and Braverman for Comments on Met Police
Peter Nygard Sentenced to 11 Years for Sexual Assault
Princess Kate Resumes Public Duties Amid Cancer Treatment
JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT THE UK COULDN'T SINK ANY LOWER… NOW UK WANT TO SUMMON ELON MUSK OVER "TOO MUCH FREE SPEECH" ON X
What Democrats hiding? CNBC SLAMS KAMALA FOR AVOIDING INTERVIEWS
Significant Corruption Concerns in Covid Contracts
Swiss politician lectures a German politician about democracy
Germany has just announced that they will be closing their borders and introducing border controls to protect the country
Greece to Impose Levy on Cruise Passengers Visiting Santorini and Mykonos
Former VP Cheney Endorses Kamala Harris for President
The Second Time Led Zeppelin Brought Steven Tyler to Tears
King Charles and Queen Camilla Commemorate the Second Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s Passing
Harris and Walz Pledge to Reinstate 1994 Assault Weapons Ban
Balaji Srinivasan Launches Revolutionary Technocapitalist School on Private Island
IT'S HAPPENING: Absolutely massive protest in Brazil today for free speech, against their corrupt Supreme Court judge
Huawei Poised for Major AI Chip Unveil at Shenzhen Event
CIA and MI6 Chiefs Unite Amid Global Crises
UK Tycoon Mike Lynch's Cause of Death Revealed: Autopsy Report
Mass Protests Erupt Across France Against New Prime Minister Barnier
Iranian Plots to Kill Jews in Europe Unveiled
Nvidia’s AI chips are cheaper to rent in China than US
China ends tariffs on all goods exported to China from the poorest countries in the world it has diplomatic ties with, including 33 African nations
Blinken May Not Seek Another Term Due To Family Priorities
Labour Pushes for Special Tribunal Against Russia for Ukraine Invasion
Oil Companies to Contest Judicial Review of North Sea Projects
Ed Balls Urges Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves to Address Winter Fuel Payments Controversy
British Army Major General Dismissed for Unwanted Advances
Campaigners Urge Bold Actions to Combat Rising Heart Disease in UK
UK Requires One Trillion Pounds Investment for Economic Growth
Plan to House Asylum Seekers at Former Dambusters Home Dropped
UK Drops Indecent Assault Charges Against Harvey Weinstein
Return of Brazilian Artworks to Bahia
UK Signs Landmark International AI Treaty
Demand for Justice After Death of Ugandan Runner Set on Fire
Ukraine's Major Government Reshuffle: Andrii Sybiha Appointed New Foreign Minister
North Korea Executes Officials Over Flood Response
French Woman Testifies in Landmark Rape Trial
Sicily Yacht Disaster: Fatal Asphyxiation Claimed More Lives
Michel Barnier Appointed as Prime Minister of France
The art technique of Grandma Mei Ling, age 82
Mongolia Refuses to Arrest Putin Despite ICC Warrant
×