BCC launches forecasting unit in latest move to challenge CBI | Business

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has launched an economic forecasting unit in an apparent move to further its campaign to replace the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) as the leading voice of businesses in the UK.

The BCC, which is made up of 53 regional chambers of commerce affiliated to a central body, last month announced the launch of a business council as a “new national offer” for businesses, as its rival the CBI fights for survival in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct.

The BCC has now expanded its national offering further by launching a unit to provide quarterly forecasts that it says will offer members “best-in-class intelligence on the big strategic issues impacting the UK economy”.

Its director general, Shevaun Haviland, said: “The BCC Insights Unit further strengthens the value and power of the BCC for British businesses.”

The Guardian revealed a series of claims of misconduct at the CBI, including allegations of rape, attempted sexual assault, harassment and drug taking, which prompted a string of companies to terminate their membership, including Aviva, NatWest, John Lewis and BMW.

The CBI dismissed its director general, Tony Danker, after an investigation related to separate allegations about his behaviour, and replaced him with Rain Newton-Smith.

Last month, less than a third of the CBI’s 1,200 members took part in a confidence vote, but 93% of those who did voted in support of a motion of confidence in Newton-Smith’s plan to overhaul the trade body.

The BCC has seized on the CBI’s faltering status to launch new offerings backed by a national campaign under the banner of “Where Business Belongs”.

“Over the last two months, we have set up our expert Economic Advisory Council and developed our Business Council offering as part of the national campaign,” Haviland said.

The CBI said last month it needed cut its staff wage bill by a third after losing money from cancelled memberships. Forty staff at the trade body took voluntary redundancy last week.