Brexit voices of doom like ‘Project Fear on speed’
WARNINGS of a “doomsday” Brexit scenario with shortages of medicine, food and fuel if Britain tries to leave the EU without a deal is “Project Fear on speed”, Jacob Rees-mogg has said.
Whitehall officials have reportedly begun contingency planning for the Port of Dover to collapse “on day one” if Britain leaves the EU next year, leading to critical shortages of supplies.
The Brexit, health and transport departments have drawn up plans for a no-deal Brexit, including mild, severe and “Armageddon” versions.
However, Mr Rees-mogg, a senior Tory Eurosceptic MP, said that it was a “gamma minus piece of work”.
He said: “It is a fallacy that countries will unilaterally decide to stop selling you their goods. The idea that food will not get through at Dover is entirely wrong. It will require either EU sanctions of the UK in an act of self-harm not to accept imports. It’s very, very straightforward, it’s routine economics, it’s Project Fear on speed.
“This is a political, not a bureaucratic report, and also economically illiterate. It is trying to damage the case for no deal but it fails because it’s a gamma minus piece of work.”
During the EU referendum, David Cameron’s warnings that the UK would be forced into a recession by Brexit were derided by Eurosceptics as “Project Fear”.
Ministers are expected to demand a leak inquiry into the publication of details of the report in The Sunday Times amid concerns that there is a “Remainer mole” at the heart of the Government. “This was a reprehensible and deeply political act,” a government source said.
The Department for Exiting the European Union rejected the claims, adding: “A significant amount of work and decision making has gone into our no deal plans, especially where it relates to ports, and we know that none of this would come to pass.”
It came as Andrew Lloyd Webber criticised Remain-backing peers for attempting to undermine Brexit and defying “the will of the people”.
Baron Lloyd-webber said peers were “wrong” to vote for “wrecking amendments on key Brexit legislation”, adding his voice to the dozens of MPS who have condemned their decision to inflict 15 defeats on the Government in recent weeks.