Former Trade mandarin compares Brexit to ditching 'three-course meal for packet of crisps'
THE FORMER top civil servant of Liam Fox’s International Trade Department has warned that leaving the single market is like giving up a “three-course meal” for the promise of a “packet of crisps.”
Donnelly: Brexit is like giving up three-course meal for crisps
Sir Martin Donnelly, who left his role a Permanent Secretary at the Department of International Trade last year made the shocking Brexit analogy on the BBC’s Today programme.
Sir Martin said the UK would be damaged if it left the single market, which both the Government and Labour support.
He said: “The challenge if we choose not to stay in the single market is, can we negotiate equal access in all those areas of services, without agreeing to obey the same rules as everybody else?
“And I’m afraid I think that’s not a negotiation that’s something for a fairy godmother. It’s not going to happen.”
Brexit news: Sir Martin Donnelly made an analogy about the impact of leaving the single market
BBC host Nick Robinson stepped in and asked the former trade chief reveal an analogy he has previously made about leaving the single market.
Robinson said: “But you also suggest this is rather like giving up dinner for a snack.”
Sir Martin replied: “Well, yes. And that’s an image of the fact that
“So the example
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You’re giving up a three course meal...for the promise of a packet of crisps
“Which aren’t going to compensate for what we’re giving up.
“You just have to look at the arithmetic. It doesn’t add up I’m afraid.”
Speaking later on the Today programme Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson insisted the UK must leave the customs union.
He said: “You can’t suck and blow at once as they say. We are going to have to come out of the customs union in order to do free trade deals and take back control of our tariffs.”
In response to Sir Martin’s comments, Mr Johnson added: “I don’t agree for a moment with what he said.
“It’s gone from about 55 percent to well under 44 percent in 10 years. If you look at where the growth is, since 2010, our growth in our exports with the EU has been about 10 percent.”
Brexiteer Douglas