Brexit disaster laid bare by statistics

Sir, – In a recent House of Commons speech, Treasury minister Andrew Griffiths said: “Brexit is already delivering enormous benefits and opportunities.”

When put on the spot by SNP MP Peter Grant and asked to name a specific benefit, Mr Griffiths was unable to do so. According to the Office for Budget Responsibility, Brexit represents a permanent 4% hit to the UK economy and it really is time the Tories admitted that leaving the EU was a mistake and stopped trying to blame the war in Ukraine for everything untoward.

Countries across the globe have been affected by this conflict but the UK is the only G7 country to register negative growth compared with pre-pandemic levels

(House of Commons library growth figures comparing the last economic quarter with the pre-pandemic position show: Italy + 1.8%, France + 1.1%, Germany + 0.2% and the UK - 0.4% ).

High inflation is commonplace but with Brexit once again a contributory factor, the UK is not faring too well (Inflation rates for September: France 6.2%, Ireland 8.6%, Spain 9.0%, Germany 10.0%, UK 10.1%).

Regardless of your political persuasion, the facts demonstrate that with Brexit we have well and truly shot ourselves in both feet.

Alan Woodcock. Osborne Place, Dundee.