BORIS Johnson’s government has suggested it is currently too difficult to properly assess the impact of Brexit – but insisted there are “massive benefits” to leaving the EU.
According to several new studies, the process has left Britain considerably worse off, with severe consequences for the economy, trade, food standards, workers’ wages and more.
Yet Downing Street has suggested it is currently too challenging to carry out an accurate assessment of the economic effects of Brexit.
A No 10 spokesman said: “It’s obvious that since we’ve left the European Union we’ve had a pandemic and there’s been the war in Europe, so assessing the impact as of now isn’t something that would be straightforward to do.”
READ MORE: BBC accused of trying to 'hide' impact of Brexit on inflation
He insisted the assessment “wouldn’t be an easy thing to do” but was unable to say whether a study was being delayed or whether it had been carried out but was disputed by the Government.
“It’s obviously too early to assess the long-term benefits of Brexit given that we only left a few years ago, and between then and now we’ve had the pandemic and the war in Ukraine,” the spokesman added.
Pressed whether the economic effect would be positive overall, he said the Prime Minister had been clear there would be “massive benefits” of leaving the EU.
Just hours earlier, the Open University’s business barometer released research which showed Scottish companies are struggling to recruit the right people in the right role amid a nationwide skills shortage – partly as a result of Brexit. Some 70% of respondents said their organisations are currently facing skills shortages, with 84% saying this has led to an increase in workloads for other staff.
READ MORE: Brexit impact on Scotland shows ‘experiment did not work’, says Michael Russell
On Monday, watchdogs at the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland warned of a “lack of import controls” on food safety following Brexit. The organisations explained the current situation means there is no “official assurance” from the exporting country that items coming into the UK meet its “high standards”.
As for the financial impact of leaving the EU, the Resolution Foundation warned last week that the process will lead to a “poorer and less productive” UK in the decade ahead, with workers in Scotland predicted to lose out the equivalent of £400 a year. It also found the immediate impact of the Brexit referendum result has been clear, with cost-of-living increases resulting in a reduction of annual average UK household income of £870 a year.
Meanwhile, the OECD forecast the UK to have the lowest growth next year of any G20 nation, with the exception of Russia.
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