Minis are driving a Brexit jobs bonanza

ACCORDING to certain economic soothsayers, the ‘immediate and profound shock to our economy’ caused by Brexit should have plunged Britain into recession.

Well, that was a year ago, and the economy has grown and grown. But in the last few weeks the Brexit doom-mongers have been at it again.

When not predicting dire economic consequences, they have peddled scare stories suggesting Brexit will kill dolphins, stop cancer treatment and threaten the supply of strawberries and damage the vital Scotch whisky industry.

Yet yesterday, these was a rush of good economic news.

Firstly, BMW announced that the electric version of the Mini will be built in its Oxford plant, securing thousands of jobs.

Symbolically, production is due to begin in 2019, within months of Brexit, and despite the firm warning staff that a leave vote would be a disaster for the car industry.

Secondly, a survey by the CBI – an organisation with unparalleled anti-Brexit credentials – found manufacturing production is increasing at its fastest rate in 22 years. Buoyed by the fall in the pound, exports are booming, and domestic demand remains strong, it said.

Thirdly, Amazon ramped up its expansion plans, announcing 450 research and development jobs at its new UK headquarters (now if only it would start paying more tax).

Meanwhile, following talks with Trade Secretary Liam Fox, President Trump declared he is working on a ‘major trade deal’ with the UK.

Yes, Britain will inevitably experience a downturn. It’s called the economic cycle. In the meantime, we can be confident that Remainers – aided in no small measure by the BBC – will continue to dismiss any good economic news as happening ‘despite Brexit’.