News

Harriet Green ‘unsettled’ by potential EU and Scotland breakaways

The prospects of Britain leaving the European Union and Scotland breaking away from the UK are “unsettling,” warned Thomas Cook chief executive Harriet Green.

She suggested that a British exit from the EU could see the cost of holidays soar for British consumers.

Speaking to the Huffington Post UK, Green 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 added: “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 sizeable investments that they need to and want to until they know whether Britain is staying in the EU or not.

“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?”

Danny Alexander, Lib Dem chief secretary to the Treasury, welcomed Green’s intervention.

He told HuffPostUK: “Thomas Cook are right to warn of the dangers and risks of Scotland leaving the UK and of the need for the UK to stay in the EU.

“Separation is hugely risky, uncertain and dangerous for Scottish business and Scottish people – we are all better off together.”

Share article

View Comments

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.