Andrea Leadsom, the business secretary, was said to have been “really pissed off” about a perceived lack of support for Boris Johnson’s Brexit proposals PETER SUMMERS/GETTYThe government is to shelve its weekly meeting with the five largest business groups, including the CBI, in favour of a wider monthly meeting. Andrea Leadsom, the business secretary, has rattled the organisations with her plans, which come before trade negotiations with Brussels. The move to cut the frequency of meetings and to extend the guest list has raised fears among lobbyists over their ability to be heard in Whitehall. The so-called “B5” bloc of business groups, which includes the CBI, the British Chambers of Commerce, the Institute of Directors, Make UK and the Federation of Small Businesses, were notified of the change last month. They had been meeting Mrs Leadsom and her predecessor, Greg Clark, on a weekly or fortnightly basis for years.

Source: The Times January 11, 2020 00:00 UTC