Brexiteers suspend law of economics

DEAR Editor, I was disappointed but not surprised that Russell Lucknock ( Post, May 31) should see the new Italian extremist government through Brexiteer eyes. There is more to the extremists than just the way they intend to spend spend spend and break the EU rules on debt. On the plan to increase Italian debt it’s not just the EU that is involved. No sensible person believes it is possible to spend money you have not got without bad consequences.

Cutting taxes while promising a universal income, reduce the retirement age and having a flat rate of tax – shades of Thatcher’s poll tax there – while providing a basic income for the poor are designed to make the government bankrupt. While you can buy votes this way, the loans needed to pay for this kind of nonsense become very expensive.

This is more evidence that Brexit is in fantasy land and the project should be stopped before Britain is forced into bankruptcy as well.

The Leave campaign never spelt out what it would cost to quit the EU, but the Italian populists have taken a leaf from Trump’s book in cutting taxes and promising a miracle. It was Dickens who said “Income a pound. Spending nineteen shillings and sixpence, happiness”.

Spending above that – not a happy situation. Brexiteers and populists cannot suspend the laws of economics. Trevor Fisher, Stafford