EXCL Former Tory minister urges government to publish Brexit impact studies
2 min read
A former Tory Cabinet minister has demanded the Government publish secret advice laying out the expected impact of Brexit on jobs and living standards.
Dominic Grieve, who as Attorney General was David Cameron's top legal adviser, said it was important for the public to understand “the consequences that Brexit will have”.
More than 120 MPs signed a letter to Brexit Secretary David Davis earlier this week demanding to see the so-called ‘impact assessments’ on quitting the EU.
His department has said it will publish the documents in “due course” but has so far refused to disclose even which sectors have been assessed.
In an exclusive interview with The House magazine, Mr Grieve said it would be “very useful” if the Government were to reveal the advice.
“If the Government has prepared these impact assessments I would be very keen to read them, and I find it difficult to see why they shouldn’t be made available to the public," he said.
“I think it's important that the public should understand how the Government’s own advisers see the consequences that Brexit will have.”
The former Remain campaigner added: “I can’t escape the fact that it’s always seemed to me that the decision we took when we had the referendum last year was unfortunately taken on a lack of information.”
The letter to Mr Davis was co-ordinated by prominent Labour MPs David Lammy and Seema Malhotra, and signed by Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg and a string of Labour frontbenchers.
“Leaving the European Union will have a huge impact on our economy for generations to come,” the note, also signed by SNP MPs and Green MP Caroline Lucas, said.
“We believe it is important that there is a full and frank debate about the impact of Brexit on our economy, jobs, trade and living standards and what can be done to mitigate risks.
“That is only possible if analysis of the impact of Brexit is published.”
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