City chairman: Burnham is right to pursue closer ties with the EU

The Prime Minister is entirely correct to be seeking to build on our relationship with closer ties with the EU, writes Chris Hayward The UK’s relationship with the European Union (EU) has undergone significant change in the last decade. Yet, perhaps to the surprise of many in the Square Mile, the City has proved remarkably resilient. We are the world’s leading financial centre, our workforce has grown by 25 per cent to almost 700,000 jobs, and EU banks are doing 60 per cent more business with UK institutions than they did prior to the referendum. Amidst this success, the Prime Minister is entirely correct to be seeking to build on our relationship with closer ties with the EU. The bloc is by far our largest trading partner – and breaking down barriers will be key to unlocking growth the country is crying out for.  The UK s economic ties with Germany Now, it will be for the politicians to determine what form this new relationship takes. What the City wants to see is a ne