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| Jacob Rees-Mogg says Treasury 'fiddling figures' on Brexit | Jacob Rees-Mogg says Treasury 'fiddling figures' on Brexit |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Prominent Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg has said he believes Treasury officials are "fiddling the figures" on Brexit. | Prominent Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg has said he believes Treasury officials are "fiddling the figures" on Brexit. |
| The row began with a leaked report which said growth would be lower in each of three different Brexit outcomes than within the EU. | |
| Mr Rees-Mogg said the Treasury had begun to make forecasts again as it was "politically advantageous". | |
| The Treasury said its ministers and officials were working hard to deliver the best Brexit deal for Britain. | The Treasury said its ministers and officials were working hard to deliver the best Brexit deal for Britain. |
| Tory MP Mr Rees-Mogg told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "If you look at the forecasts the Treasury made before the referendum, they were a humiliation. They were clearly politically influenced." | Tory MP Mr Rees-Mogg told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "If you look at the forecasts the Treasury made before the referendum, they were a humiliation. They were clearly politically influenced." |
| 'Politically motivated' | |
| He said former chancellor George Osborne had set up the Office for Budget Responsibility, which provides independent analysis of the UK's public finances, because "Treasury forecasts had been politicised". | He said former chancellor George Osborne had set up the Office for Budget Responsibility, which provides independent analysis of the UK's public finances, because "Treasury forecasts had been politicised". |
| "And it was thought they were unreliable on political grounds," he added. "With the referendum and with the EU the Treasury has gone back to making forecasts. It was politically advantageous for them in the past. It is the same now. | "And it was thought they were unreliable on political grounds," he added. "With the referendum and with the EU the Treasury has gone back to making forecasts. It was politically advantageous for them in the past. It is the same now. |
| "So yes, I do think they are fiddling the figures." | "So yes, I do think they are fiddling the figures." |
| His comments came after Theresa May, on the final day of her official visit to China, appeared to suggest some sort of customs agreement with the EU could be possible - even though ministers have said Britain will leave the existing customs union. | His comments came after Theresa May, on the final day of her official visit to China, appeared to suggest some sort of customs agreement with the EU could be possible - even though ministers have said Britain will leave the existing customs union. |
| Mr Rees-Mogg stated any such deal would be unacceptable to Tory Brexiteers as it would prevent the UK from striking free trade deals with other countries. | Mr Rees-Mogg stated any such deal would be unacceptable to Tory Brexiteers as it would prevent the UK from striking free trade deals with other countries. |
| "We need to be free to do deals with the rest of the world. We must be out of the protectionist common external tariff which mainly protects inefficient EU industries at the cost to British consumers," he said. | "We need to be free to do deals with the rest of the world. We must be out of the protectionist common external tariff which mainly protects inefficient EU industries at the cost to British consumers," he said. |
| Commons apology | Commons apology |
| It is the second time this week that Mr Rees-Mogg, who chairs the Conservative Party's European Research Group, has condemned civil servants' economic forecast concerning the impact of Brexit. | It is the second time this week that Mr Rees-Mogg, who chairs the Conservative Party's European Research Group, has condemned civil servants' economic forecast concerning the impact of Brexit. |
| The row began on Tuesday with a report leaked to Buzzfeed which said growth would be lower in each of three different Brexit outcomes than if the UK had stayed in the EU. | The row began on Tuesday with a report leaked to Buzzfeed which said growth would be lower in each of three different Brexit outcomes than if the UK had stayed in the EU. |
| In the Commons on Thursday, Mr Rees-Mogg asked Brexit Minister Steve Baker to confirm whether he had heard that officials were deliberately trying to influence policy in favour of staying in the EU customs union. | In the Commons on Thursday, Mr Rees-Mogg asked Brexit Minister Steve Baker to confirm whether he had heard that officials were deliberately trying to influence policy in favour of staying in the EU customs union. |
| He attributed the remarks to Charles Grant, the head of the Centre for European Reform. | He attributed the remarks to Charles Grant, the head of the Centre for European Reform. |
| On Friday, Mr Baker apologised to MPs for saying Mr Rees-Mogg's account of the remarks was "essentially correct". | On Friday, Mr Baker apologised to MPs for saying Mr Rees-Mogg's account of the remarks was "essentially correct". |
| Mr Grant had denied making them and an audio recording emerged where he did not say what was attributed to him. | Mr Grant had denied making them and an audio recording emerged where he did not say what was attributed to him. |
| However, Mr Rees-Mogg said he stood by his original claim. | However, Mr Rees-Mogg said he stood by his original claim. |
| 'Absolutely outrageous' | |
| Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable said Mr Rees-Mogg's claims about the Treasury were "absolutely outrageous". | |
| "The government should be thinking about all possibilities and how to minimise the damage from Brexit," he said. "Serious Conservatives inside and outside government are saying that whatever happens with Brexit, we should remain in a customs union. | |
| "The Treasury would be failing in its duty if it didn't examine that possibility seriously, we should be inside a customs union whatever happens." | |
| A Treasury spokesman said: "The prime minister and the chancellor have said repeatedly that we will be leaving the single market and the customs union. Any suggestion to the contrary is simply false." | A Treasury spokesman said: "The prime minister and the chancellor have said repeatedly that we will be leaving the single market and the customs union. Any suggestion to the contrary is simply false." |