Thomas Cook CEO Harriet Green Warns Against EU Exit And Scottish Independence

Harriet Green, the chief executive of travel giant Thomas Cook, has warned against the "unsettling" prospects of Britain leaving the European Union and Scotland breaking away from the United Kingdom.

Speaking to the Huffington Post UK, the Thomas Cook CEO said: "There are two political uncertainties that are most unsettling for business. The first is the Scottish referendum and the second is the European referendum. Both create massive uncertainty."

Green, who runs the second largest travel group in Europe, went on: "For me, what we should be focused on is creating jobs. If you take the European market, the biggest trading market that we are part of and we are contemplating exiting that market? How could that be good for jobs?"

"Many companies look at Britain and are questioning whether they will make some of the very sizable investments that they need to and want to until they know whether Britain is staying in the EU or not."

Green suggested that a British exit from the European Union could see the cost of holidays soar for British consumers.

"We have an enormous trading market in Europe. If we're no longer a part of that market, there will be implications. If you think about practical things - we'd have customers this morning planning their vacations and thinking about their future. What does that mean around passport control? What does that mean around currency, around cost and the very fluid movement of travel?

"All of these practical issues that ordinary everyday people have found a very inclusive part of Europe will become very challenging and I think it hasn’t been thought through to the level that it needs to be."

"Who does it benefit if countries like ourselves have less jobs to create and less hoteliers to partner with?"


http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/03/21/thomas-cook-european-union-scottish-independence_n_5001037.html?1395404241&utm_hp_ref=uk

If she'd been speaking at a business conference, I'd listen, but speaking to the "Huffington Post" kind of takes the shine off it.

Up to you, what is important though going forward is some honesty of what could happen if we stay in the EU or leave, that is the fairest way forward for everyone to decide.