EU REFERENDUM: CLEVER CAMERON STRATEGY, BUT WILL HE LET NEGOTIATIONS BUMP ALONG TO GAIN TORY ADVANTAGE?

JOHN CAUDWELL

@johndcaudwell

PRESS RELEASE

January 23, 2013.

EU REFERENDUM: CLEVER CAMERON STRATEGY, BUT WILL HE LET NEGOTIATIONS BUMP ALONG TO GAIN TORY ADVANTAGE?

Commenting on Prime Minister David Cameron's speech about a new treaty for Britain in the EU, entrepreneur and philanthropist John Caudwell said:

"David Cameron has been very clever - this is great manipulation of the British public on the back of a strategy which would actually be better for that British public anyway.

"I'm in complete agreement not to force an immediate split with Europe, but rather that terms are negotiated that would get the best for Britain out of the relationship with Europe but without us being exposed to the negative aspects.

"If we can arrive at that, then great - but I doubt David Cameron will get the outcome I, and many others, would be happy with.

"If we do get into a position with Europe which is acceptable to me, for one - and most probably the British public in general too - through some hard negotiation, then I'd be voting to stay in.

"But that negotiation needs a hardball approach to make Europe acceptable to Britons. I suspect David Cameron will be happy to let the negotiations bump along in time for a referendum mid next term of office.

"It's actually a pretty smart strategy to keep the Tories in power while appearing to do the best for Britain."

In 2006, John Caudwell sold his 10,000-employee mobile phone business, which included Phones 4u, for £1.5bn. John now concentrates on charitable and philanthropic work including Caudwell Children @caudwellkids.

@johndcaudwell

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Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.caudwell.com

A-LEVEL RESULTS: “TOO MUCH PEER PRESSURE” TO GO TO UNIVERSITY, SAYS CAUDWELL.

JOHN CAUDWELL

PRESS RELEASE

August 17, 2011.

A-LEVEL RESULTS: “TOO MUCH PEER PRESSURE” TO GO TO UNIVERSITY, SAYS CAUDWELL.

Video interviews: YouTube Channel CaudwellPhilanthropy

Businessman and philanthropist John Caudwell says in some cases there's way too much peer pressure on young people to go on to university after they complete their A levels.

Sixth form students get their life-shaping exam results on August 18, 2011, but Caudwell says that while they should be aiming for straight 'A's across the board, a fast-track into a top university place should not be the be-all and end-all.

Caudwell, who made his estimated £1.5 billion fortune by growing and selling his mobile phone business – which included high street retailer Phones 4u – says that while formal education is an essential route for many young people, it’s not the best choice for everybody.

"There’s a group of people who feel pressed to do 'A' levels and university who actually would be much better just getting out there and going for it,” he said (video – 43 seconds).

"Clearly, for certain people, further education is absolutely the way forward, certainly if you're going into a professional environment where you need those qualifications. It also gives them a chance to develop themselves emotionally and intellectually, and enhance their education at the same time.

"But I don't think formal education necessarily plays an essential part in being a business success, in fact, possibly in some cases quite the reverse. I firmly believe that a challenging childhood that creates that drive, passion and desire to succeed is one of the strongest attributes to actually being successful (video – 42 seconds).

"Of course, you do need to be intelligent, there's no getting away from that, but being intelligent doesn't mean you have to go to university; being in a vocational situation, being in an entrepreneurial environment, and pushing for success, might be a way better education for some people than spending five years on further education.”

John Caudwell says his business success is largely down to taking a me-too idea, applying six critical business success factors, and doing it bigger and better.

"The opportunities these days from an ideas point of view are immense. The internet, the whole 'e' side of life, gives you massive scalability throughout the world. You've still got to come up with the idea, but even the less spectacular ideas can be made massively successful by having those six critical success factors (video – 50 seconds)," he said.

"Let's face it, who would have thought you could have made a fortune out of mobile phones by just being 'me-too'. That's all I had - I had a me-too proposition. Everybody sold Nokia, everybody sold Motorola, everybody connected to Vodafone airtime; all I did was do it bigger and better."

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Further information:

Iain Macauley

+44 (0)7788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

YouTube Channel CaudwellPhilanthropy

Twitter @johndcaudwell

Flickr CaudwellPhilanthropy