UK's CBI reports new criminal offence to police

Scandal-ridden business lobby group the Confederation of British Industry has admitted handing over details of what it called a serious criminal matter to police.

The latest revelation comes as police investigate an alleged rape at a CBI summer party in 2019, the suspension of three staff over sexual misconduct claims and the departure of director-general Tony Danker over accusations of wrongdoing unrelated to the other incidents.

"Late yesterday afternoon the CBI was made aware of additional information relating to a report of a serious criminal offence. We have passed that information immediately to the police, with whom we are liaising closely and who have asked us not to comment further on potentially criminal matters," the CBI said in a statement.

It also said it was expecting the results of an investigation into the allegations by the law firm Fox Williams "imminently" and would respond to “this and other steps we are taking to bring about the wider change that is needed early next week".

The original allegations emerged after the Guardian newspaper reported that more than a dozen woman claimed they had been subject to various forms of sexual misconduct at the CBI.

The CBI has since suspended three employees while the investigation took place.

Danker has admitted he made some staff feel "very uncomfortable", but told the BBC this week that his "reputation has been totally destroyed" because his name had been associated with separate claims including of serious sexual assault that were made at the CBI before he joined.

He said that his dismissal letter had set out four reasons for firing him and added he was considering legal action against the CBI.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com