This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jun/21/theresa-mays-brexit-dividend-is-imaginary-there-is-no-brackpot
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| May's Brexit ‘dividend’ is imaginary – there is no Brackpot | May's Brexit ‘dividend’ is imaginary – there is no Brackpot |
| (5 months later) | |
| This week Theresa May announced that she’ll spend more on the NHS because of the “Brexit dividend” (Brividend). Like a “jobs-first Brexit” or a unicorn, it’s a thing that’s entirely imaginary, since the likely loss of tax revenue due to slower growth after Brexit will more than offset the slightly more than 1% of the government budget we currently pay to the EU. Still, let us at least applaud May’s sobriety in not announcing a Brexit bonanza (Bronanza) or a Brexit jackpot (Brackpot). | This week Theresa May announced that she’ll spend more on the NHS because of the “Brexit dividend” (Brividend). Like a “jobs-first Brexit” or a unicorn, it’s a thing that’s entirely imaginary, since the likely loss of tax revenue due to slower growth after Brexit will more than offset the slightly more than 1% of the government budget we currently pay to the EU. Still, let us at least applaud May’s sobriety in not announcing a Brexit bonanza (Bronanza) or a Brexit jackpot (Brackpot). |
| Most apposite in today's political context is the sense of 'dividend' that means the proceeds from gambling | Most apposite in today's political context is the sense of 'dividend' that means the proceeds from gambling |
| The term “dividend”, here, borrows the rhetorical authority of finance to imply the very mathematical precision the idea totally lacks. From the Latin for “that which is to be divided”, “dividend” was originally a number you were dividing (by the divisor), and then applied to situations in which money was shared among a group of people – latterly, most often, shareholders in public companies. | The term “dividend”, here, borrows the rhetorical authority of finance to imply the very mathematical precision the idea totally lacks. From the Latin for “that which is to be divided”, “dividend” was originally a number you were dividing (by the divisor), and then applied to situations in which money was shared among a group of people – latterly, most often, shareholders in public companies. |
| Perhaps most apposite in the present political context is the sense of “dividend” that means the proceeds from gambling on the football pools. Leaving the EU is also a gamble, though you might think that betting on ball games remains a surer way of getting rich. | Perhaps most apposite in the present political context is the sense of “dividend” that means the proceeds from gambling on the football pools. Leaving the EU is also a gamble, though you might think that betting on ball games remains a surer way of getting rich. |
| Books | Books |
| Steven Poole's word of the week | Steven Poole's word of the week |
| Reference and languages books | |
| Brexit | Brexit |
| European Union | European Union |
| Europe | Europe |
| features | features |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |