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Former Diageo boss dropped over Tory links
The Confederation of British Industry will not appoint former Diageo boss Paul Walsh as its president because of his links to the Conservative party.
Walsh, who was favourite to take the job leading the British industry body, was a signatory to a Conservative party letter published in The Telegraph that praised the party and said if Labour took power it would “threaten jobs”.
The CBI declares itself a non-political organisation. It was set up by Royal Charter, in the same manner that the BBC exists, meaning that it is partly a public body.
The CBI told the Financial Times: “The CBI is a politically neutral organisation and its senior post-holders will always act impartially.”
Paul Walsh led Diageo, the worlds largest drinks company, for 12 years between 2000 and 2013.