There is a lot of press comment about the governments's leaked economic analysis. Robert Peston’s post on his Facebook page is one of the best. He says:
The point is that the analysis shows UK growth and prosperity would be significantly greater if UK rules and regulations for business were closely aligned to those of the EU, and never diverged to any significant extent - because this would be expected to deliver cheaper and less cumbersome access for UK goods and services to the EU’s giant single market.
In other words, the civil service economists are underwriting the political position of Hammond, Amber Rudd and Greg Clark that it is worth sacrificing a degree of national control over rules and regs for the sake of becoming a bit less poor or a bit more rich (depending on what else is transpiring in an economic sense).
Or to put it another way, the Whitehall “experts” - so derided by Gove in the run-up to the referendum - are getting their own back on Gove and Johnson by providing supposed empirical proof that the Leavers’ passion to take back total control over making laws that affect business and commerce would be to throw mountains of £50 notes on to a religious fire.
The government economists’ case for remaining “converged” with the EU is so clear and overwhelming, I am informed, that ministers tell me they are utterly bemused by how Johnson and Gove will dismiss it - as they surely will.
Or to put it another way, the Whitehall “experts” - so derided by Gove in the run-up to the referendum - are getting their own back on Gove and Johnson by providing supposed empirical proof that the Leavers’ passion to take back total control over making laws that affect business and commerce would be to throw mountains of £50 notes on to a religious fire.
The government economists’ case for remaining “converged” with the EU is so clear and overwhelming, I am informed, that ministers tell me they are utterly bemused by how Johnson and Gove will dismiss it - as they surely will.
Others, Richard North of the EU Referendum blog (HERE) included are relaxed about it. North says, "anyone with half a brain would have understood that leaving the EU was bound to involve a short-term economic loss". Er, wait a minute. I don't regard 2030 as short term and I seem to remember our own Nigel Adams sating that we would "prosper" after Brexit, and BoJo even claimed we would do it "like never before".
Peter Foster, the Telegraph's Europe editor (a thankless task if ever there was one) says on his Twitter feed:
Peter Foster, the Telegraph's Europe editor (a thankless task if ever there was one) says on his Twitter feed:
One more thought on the #Brexit Economy analysis leaked to Buzzfeed. This was NOT from Treasury Or Team Hammond. This was DexEU analysis. A department captained by @DavidDavisMP - an arch Brexiteer. It comes from one of their own. As a warning to their own: tread softly.
Before the referendum they dismissed the forecasts of independent organisations as scaremongering or people like the CBI were stooges of Brussels. Now they are attacking their own forecasts! Soon they will be arguing against Brexit and hoping no one notices they have changed position.
