Walking blindfold towards the cliff

DEAL or no deal, the UK Government freely admit our economy will take a hit.

But that’s not stopping our inept leaders from walking us blindfolded towards the big red warning signs.

Lots of Leave voters across the UK, including Scotland, put their mark on the ballot paper for honourable reasons. How does everyone feel now? The Government say they respect democracy and cannot possibly check that everyone is actually OK with this mess. So we might never know. But here’s what Treasury officials know.

The Government department in charge of money say the PM’s own deal could cut gross domestic product by up to 3.9 per cent in 15 years.

Leaving without a deal could mean a 9.3 per cent hit.

Even if the economy grows over that period, it won’t be to the same extent as it would in the EU.

But still the Government plough on past the warning signs and off into the dark. What does the Chancellor think? We know that at least because he made it clear in several interviews yesterday.

Philip Hammond says there “will be a cost” to leaving the European Union.

Theresa May thinks this report will force everyone into line to back her withdrawal agreement and all the vague aspirations baked into it.

In the Commons, she point blank refused to accept the warnings in the document or the words used by her Chancellor.

It’s no wonder she can’t hear the clanging alarm bells as the UK inches ever closer to self-inflicted pain.