European Research Group fails to live up to its name

I HAVE searched the internet – source of all knowledge – but have failed to find any mention of the European Research Group’s (ERG) objectives apart from a desire to leave the European Union.

This group is in receipt of public funding, so it should clearly state its purpose in life.

What is the object of its research? If it is solely the withdrawal of the UK from the EU, it suggests the group has decided on the conclusion before doing its study.

What is the methodology? Has a cost/ benefit analysis been done regarding all possible outcomes?

It must be logical. If it suggests that leaving the EU regardless of the cost is an option, it would show a total disregard for the living standards of those who are not as well insulated by private incomes or inherited wealth.

In leaving the EU, what are the ERG’s proposals for dealing with the new reality of the UK? It is like a corner shop trying to compete with a major supermarket chain; while the shop might survive at a basic level, it will never be able to benefit from the cost benefits of the larger body.

Who are the key researchers and what experience do they have in a process which might have unexpected consequences?

When might the group’s final report be published, and has it produced interim reports to account for the funding it has received to date?

It appears to me the group is a collection of people with time on their hands who were looking for a function in life and decided that leaving the EU suited their purposes, regardless of the consequences.