The convenience food manufacturer’s boss Patrick Coveney said clear business benefits under pinned Britain’s continued EU membership.
But it was not necessary to start planning a business strategy should Britain leave the EU because there would be time to form contingency plans once a decision had been made and we were more aware of the specific implications, he added.
“This idea that you need to have an immediate plan for what to do post a decision – should it happen Britain to leave the EU – I don’t think that is necessary,” Coveney told FoodManufacture.co.uk in an exclusive video filmed at Food Manufacture’s Business Leaders’ Forum last month.
Need to form a view
“I think there is a need for people to understand the medium-term consequences so they can form a view in terms of their attitude to the issue.”
Watch this video to find out why Coveney said it was difficult to plan for an EU exit before we knew the full impact it would have a regulation and Britain’s relationship with potentially former EU member states.
Coveney based his argument for continued EU membership on protecting access to raw materials and labour from EU countries, preventing the sterling weakening and the Bank of England raising interest rates.
The annual Business Leaders Forum was held at the office of main sponsor law firm DWF on January 20th. The other sponsors were ALcontrol and insurance firm RSA.