Corbyn turns down chance to speak to CBI but Labour denies 'snub'

Jeremy Corbyn has turned down an invitation to speak at next week's CBI annual conference of business leaders.

The BBC's Norman Smith said Labour's leader cited "prior arrangements" and the party had offered shadow business secretary Angela Eagle instead.

Labour denied it was a snub but one ex-minister said it was a missed chance for Mr Corbyn to engage with business.

Ed Miliband spoke at the first CBI conference after his election in 2010 but did not always attend subsequently.

The annual get-together of business leaders will take place on 9 November.

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan is currently the only named Cabinet minister officially scheduled to take part in one of the sessions, although the employers group has said another senior cabinet minister will set out the government's agenda for growth and jobs.

'Unable to attend'

David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg all spoke at last year's event.

A CBI spokeswoman said: "The CBI invited the leader of the opposition to its annual conference immediately after he was appointed. We received a response on 26 October, saying he was unable to attend."

Labour said Mr Corbyn could not attend because of other commitments. Norman Smith said Labour said they had put forward Ms Eagle as an alternative speaker but the "offer was not taken up".

The Labour leader has been a critic of "big business" in the past and at last week's Prime Minister Questions referred to "David Cameron's friends at the CBI" when attacking government policy on tax credit cuts.

Former Treasury Secretary Liam Byrne said it would have "been better" for Mr Corbyn to attend but his absence was not a "massive deal".

"Our economic policy is still a work in progress," he told the Daily Politics.

"There's lots of people in the business community who want to reconnect wealth creation with social justice. We need to embrace them and build a common cause with them."

Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's former director of communications, tweeted: "If Jeremy Corbyn is seriously saying he won't put Labour's case to the CBI we may as well just give Osborne the job now."

Since becoming Labour leader, Mr Corbyn has spoken at the TUC Annual Congress and also at the CND's annual conference. He has also attended a number of official functions, including a state banquet for the Chinese president.

Mr Miliband spoke at the CBI conference in 2010 and then again in 2012 and 2014. But former shadow chancellor Ed Balls deputised for him in 2011 and 2013.