Hi John,

Thank you very much to everyone who responded so warmly to my first CEO update and encouraged me to make this a regular email.

Since my last update, we have released our latest seat level polling, which you may have seen in the Observer. It is clear that the shine has well and truly come off Brexit, and Farage’s intervention admitting Brexit has failed has been helpful. More fool him.

We did this polling to show politicians that it is safe for them to start being honest with voters - that the Government’s terrible Brexit deal is not just holding us back, but hurting us. The electorate has gone from having majority support to leave the EU in 2016, to a majority thinking it has caused more problems than it has solved in the intervening years, to now choosing a closer relationship with the EU as the most popular option.

Even in the most totemic leave-voting seats like Boston in Lincolnshire, this holds true, which is why we are doing all we can to influence manifestos ahead of the next election.

Through our work with the UK Trade and Business Commission, we have published 114 policy recommendations for trade, which would not only give British traders and the economy the shot in the arm they so desperately need, but that crucially will deliver a closer EU relationship for the UK. Please share the recommendations with your MP if you haven’t already. 

This publication will act as the policy backbone to our new conference Trade Unlocked, in Birmingham on the 20th June. I am delighted to confirm that the Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy and the Shadow Trade and Business Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds will be attending. Government spokespeople will be announced soon. So please do come along and help us influence them. And don’t forget to use the code TU23REGISTERFREE for your complimentary ticket.

I’ll let you know how it all goes in my next update but in the meantime, thank you for your continued support of our work and wish us luck! 

Best wishes,
Naomi