Police launch probe at CBI after lobbying group sacked its boss amid sex misconduct claims in battles for survival amid deepening crisis

• City of London police have launched a probe over sex misconduct claims at CBI
• The Confederation of British Industry sacked its boss Tony Danker yesterday

Police have launched a probe over sex misconduct claims at Britain’s biggest business lobbying group after it sacked its boss yesterday.

The Confederation of British Industry said its director-general Tony Danker had been ‘dismissed with immediate effect’ following an independent probe into claims made against him earlier this year.

City of London police confirmed they had launched an investigation in the wake of more recent sexual assault allegations, not involving Mr Danker, which include one woman saying she was raped at a staff party on a boat on the Thames.

The CBI’s board said Mr Danker’s behaviour ‘fell short of that expected’ of his position as it confirmed three other employees had been suspended pending further investigations into other claims.

They include accusations of rape, sexual harassment and drug abuse by some of its staff. 

The Confederation of British Industry said its director-general Tony Danker (pictured) had been ‘dismissed with immediate effect’ following an independent probe into claims made against him earlier this year

In a statement on Twitter, Mr Danker described his removal as a ‘shock’, but acknowledged he had made colleagues ‘uncomfortable’ with his behaviour

City of London Police said they had approached the CBI after the details emerged in The Guardian newspaper. A spokesman declined to comment on whom detectives had spoken to.

Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Waight said: ‘The City of London Police takes all acts of sexual misconduct and violence against women and girls extremely seriously. 

‘We approached the CBI following media reports and our investigations are at a very early stage.’

The CBI said it was ‘liaising with the police’ and would ‘co-operate fully’ with any investigations. 

Following Mr Danker’s dismissal, the group said Rain Newton-Smith, the CBI’s former chief economist and a managing director at Barclays, would rejoin as its new director-general.

‘It is already clear to all of us that there have been serious failings in how we have acted as an organisation. We must do better, and we must be better,’ the CBI said in a statement.

It added: ‘We apologise to the victims of this organisational failure… Nobody should feel unsafe in their workplace.’

In a statement on Twitter, Mr Danker described his removal as a ‘shock’, but acknowledged he had made colleagues ‘uncomfortable’ with his behaviour.

He wrote: ‘I recognise the intense publicity the CBI has suffered following the revelations of awful events that occurred before my time in office.

‘I was appalled to learn about them for the first time last week. I was nevertheless shocked to learn this morning that I had been dismissed from the CBI, instead of being invited to put my position forward as was originally confirmed.

Downing Street also said relations with the CBI would remain suspended until the organisation completed its investigations into the claims. The Government ‘paused’ engagement with the group last week. Pictured: Rishi Sunak and Tony Danker at the CBI annual dinner in London last May

‘Many of the allegations against me have been distorted, but I recognise that I unintentionally made a number of colleagues feel uncomfortable and I am truly sorry about that.’

His firing comes as the future of the CBI hangs in the balance following a litany of allegations that have rocked the organisation. 

The crisis has escalated to such an extent that government officials have discussed the possibility of disbanding the lobbying group, which claims to speak for 190,000 firms. A new group to represent business would be formed in its place.

Several companies have said they are reviewing their links with the CBI, with high-profile names including Rolls-Royce and Marks and Spencer having raised concerns about the allegations.

Downing Street also said relations with the CBI would remain suspended until the organisation completed its investigations into the claims. The Government ‘paused’ engagement with the group last week.

No 10 said Mr Danker’s departure was ‘a matter for the CBI’. A Downing Street spokesman said it would not trigger a reset of government relations with the group.

He added: ‘We expect any allegations to be taken seriously.’ Dr Andy Wood, boss of Suffolk-based brewery Adnams, said the allegations had ‘totally rocked’ the CBI and warned the fallout from the debacle ‘wasn’t over yet’.

‘This is a corporate earthquake and aftershocks will follow,’ Mr Wood said, adding the company would await the outcome of the CBI’s investigation. 

Others were upbeat about the arrival of Ms Newton-Smith.

Neil Carberry, head of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, said the announcement was ‘an important first step’ in tackling the reported allegations.

‘Rain Newton-Smith is an excellent appointment as director-general and enjoys our full confidence and support. She has a big task to take on,’ he said. 

Yet a former employee, who had previously raised concerns with the CBI’s human resources department over the treatment of junior staff by more senior managers, told the Financial Times: ‘She was sitting on the executive committee the entire time a lot of this stuff was going on.’

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