(Note language some readers might find offensive in penultimate
paragraph)
LONDON, Feb 20 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris
Johnson and his team are reviewing how best to engage with
business, his office said on Thursday, after Sky News reported
officials were keen to scrap the government's business advice
councils.
Sky reported Johnson was looking at overhauling five
business councils set up in November 2018 by his predecessor
Theresa May and that the existing structure was likely to be
axed.
Johnson has met the co-chairs of the business councils, who
include Tesco boss Dave Lewis, BAE Systems
Chairman Roger Carr and GlaxoSmithKline Chief Executive
Emma Walmsley, only once since he took office in July. That
meeting was in October.
Johnson's Conservatives won a large parliamentary majority
in a general election two months ago and Sky reported there had
been no attempt to reactivate the business councils since then.
"The prime minister and his business team are refreshing how
best to engage with businesses to ensure Britain is the number
one country in the world to start, grow and run a business," a
spokeswoman for Johnson's office said.
"The prime minister remains committed to closely working
with industry and future plans will be set out in due course."
The councils cover sectors ranging from financial and
professional services to consumer, retail and life sciences and
were chaired by senior business leaders.
They were intended to meet three times a year to provide
advice and policy recommendations on critical issues impacting
business, particularly how to create the best business
conditions in Britain after it left the European Union.
At the time of their creation, the government said the
members would hold membership for a year.
Despite being seen as pro-business while Mayor of London,
when he championed financial services, Johnson's record has been
clouded by his reported "fuck business" comment in 2018 in
dismissal of companies' concerns about Britain's EU exit.
Media have reported relations between Johnson's office and
key business lobby groups such as the Confederation of British
Industry, have become increasingly strained since the election
over his team's view that they have been too negative about
Brexit.
(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Stephen Addison)