Former BCC chief John Longworth unleashes in first debate since ousting

John Longworth, the former British Chambers of Commerce boss, has made his first high-profile public appearance for the Brexit camp since his ousting.

Speaking on a panel with Brexiteer Tory MPs Chris Grayling and John Redwood, Longworth gave full vent to the anti-EU sentiments that made his position at the neutral business lobbying organisation untenable, declaring UK firms benefited little but suffered greatly from Britain being “in”.

“In our metropolitan bubble, we forget the millions of people out there on low wages or unemployed who suffer from our being in the EU,” he said.

“We have the worst of both worlds: caps on visas for skilled workers outside the EU yet unlimited supplies of unskilled, cheap labour from Europe. The vast majority of workers in this country feel that acutely.”

At the sidelines of the debate organised by fashion entrepreneur Harold Tillman to raise money for the Variety charity, Longworth said he had received “dozens” of messages of support from business chiefs.

In a “before and after” poll of audience members, undecided voters swung to the “in” camp, represented on stage by campaigner Roland Rudd, LibDem peer Baroness Brinton and Labour MP Emma Reynolds.