BRITAIN’S biggest business lobby group will tomorrow tone down its support for staying in the EU amid claims that it “jumped the gun” with its pro-EU stance.

Paul Drechsler, the new president of the CBI, will admit there is “no uniform view” on the EU referendum among the organisation’s members or the wider business community. But in his speech at the employer group’s annual conference he will also say that, “on balance”, the benefits of the single market outweigh its shortcomings.

His comments mark a break with the pro-EU sentiments of his predecessor, Sir Mike Rake, chairman of BT. In recent days, “out” campaigners have attacked the CBI, questioning its polling.

Drechsler, chairman of Bibby Line, will hit back in his speech. “The great British