Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University (RGU) has announced it will be suspending its membership of business lobby body the CBI amid an ongoing row over Scottish independence.
The latest split in the ranks of the organisation – which is officially backing the No campaign – came as fresh evidence emerged suggesting CBI officials have been actively campaigning in the referendum for months.
The surprise RGU decision followed the publication of an article by principal Prof Ferdinand Von Prondzynski in the P&J yesterday describing why RGU had not followed others – including Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow universities – in quitting.
The initial decision by RGU to register its disapproval with the CBI stance, but remain a member, prompted online complaints from Yes supporters on Monday. Yesterday, an RGU spokesman insisted the announcement was not due to external pressure.
He said Prof Von Prondzynski consulted with staff on Wednesday via e-mail, but the results were “not conclusive”. The decision was reached by the senior management team yesterday, which was then backed by the board of governors.
The spokesman said: “Following extensive consultations in the university community, the principal has decided RGU will suspend its membership of the CBI for the time being, and that this will be reviewed after the referendum.
“The university will maintain its position of neutrality, but will also encourage debate and analysis of the issues.”
Pro-independence group Business for Scotland yesterday produced a dossier which it said “demonstrates unequivocally” that CBI officials had actively campaigned against Scottish independence “for many months”. In a letter to CBI director general John Cridland, Business for Scotland chairman Tony Banks added: “It is also clear you have spent money on this activity. This is a matter we intend to pursue in a number of ways over the coming days.”
The CBI said it was confident the “vast majority” of its members agreed with its stance on independence.
The BBC last night announced it will suspend its membership of the CBI until the end of the referendum campaign. It said: “In order to protect the BBC’s neutrality, the CBI and the BBC have agreed to suspend the BBC’s membership during the business group’s registration period under the terms of the Scottish Referendums Act.”