No Deal danger

It doesn't seem to occur to other letter writers that the government is in the last stages of Brexit negotiating and maintains the same inflexibility as ever, which makes a hard Brexit quite possible. I give thanks for Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England, who claims a No Deal Brexit will affect the economy adversely for decades and have a bigger effect than Covid-19. At least someone is sending a warning to Brexit enthusiasts. It's a pity that the country as a whole shows little interest in what happens over Brexit.

However, lead in ge co nomists see ma bit more anxious about the debt caused by Covid than Mr Bailey. For the moment, all countries can pile up huge debts – markets accept huge borrowing is necessary so interest rates remain low. But some countries will grow and thus manage to reduce indebtedness – such countries will please the markets. Others may be heavily saddled with a low growth potential and little room to manoeuvre in their aim of bringing down debts. In this category we find the UK. Such countries may face the wrath of markets some time in the future, leading to interest rate rises and a slowing down of their escape from Covid's financial effects.

Mr Bailey maybe right that Brexit's effects may outlast C ovid' s. But one can' t assume that the combined effects won't harm our potential growth and wellbeing for some time to come. The government needs to know that intransigence now may never be forgiven, particularly if its Brexit failings eventually cause a reversion to austerity and a failure to promote the green changes Boris Johnston envisions.

ANDREW VASS Corbiehill Place, Edinburgh