Gloomy Philip Hammond blasted for ‘trying to stop Brexit’ by claiming No Deal would destroy economy on the same day ministers unveil plans to cope
PROPHET of doom Philip Hammond opened a new Tory rift as he tried to derail an upbeat No Deal rallying call.
The Chancellor stepped in to flag up the “large fiscal consequences” of Brexit without a deal.
He enraged Brexiteers, with MP Jacob Rees-Mogg comparing him to a dog returning to its vomit.
He said: “The Treasury is desperate to stop Brexit. Everything the Treasury does has to be read in this light.
“As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.”
The Chancellor broke cover as Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab outlined the Government’s planning for a No Deal split from the EU.
Mr Raab tried to spin the “positive opportunities”, such as not having to pay a £39billion divorce bill.
But Mr Hammond published a letter to Remainer Nicky Morgan warning of the “large fiscal consequences” of No Deal.
It highlighted research predicting that borrowing would be £80billion a year higher within 15 years.
And he said that chemicals, food and drink, clothing, manufacturing, cars and retail were likely to be the sectors most badly affected — particularly in the North East and Northern Ireland.
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The Sun Says
WE commend Dominic Raab for his brutally honest assessment of the positives and negatives of a No Deal Brexit. What a pity the Chancellor then saw fit to stick his Eey-ore in.
Brexit Secretary Mr Raab rightly rubbished the wilder scare stories and said most people wouldn’t even notice the impact of a so-called “hard Brexit”.
And he is convinced, like The Sun, that after a potential short-term wobble the country will be better off out.
But he was realistic too about banking problems for our expats — plus credit card charges rising and customs duties having to be paid on EU imports
Why did Philip Hammond then issue a letter recycling the Treasury’s absurdly gloomy Project Fear predictions for 15 years’ time? Remainer sabotage? Or just another tone-deaf blunder?
Either way, he left the Government looking even more chaotic than usual.
Will No Deal happen? Consider this:
Britain has offered “unconditional” security cooperation with the EU post-Brexit. In response, Brussels vows to CHARGE us to access its databases.
They want capitulation, not a deal.
“GDP impacts of this magnitude, were they to arise, would have large fiscal consequences,” he wrote.
Mrs Morgan, who chairs the Commons Treasury Select Committee, said: “Today’s letter to me from the Chancellor shows that No Deal would be a very, very bad deal for the UK and its citizens.”
Labour MP Virendra Sharma said: “Senior ministers don’t seem to talk or even have a coherent plan.”
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