In @thetimesscot, a new @TheIFS report shows the economy is £60bn smaller than forecast because of #Brexit and shockingly ranks our economic prospects higher under a Labour-led government. 1/
"The public finances have deteriorated substantially" and a 'no deal' Brexit would necessitate huge fiscal stimulus seeing the national debt soar to 90% of GDP, wrecking our own government borrowing rules. 2/
The report shows current Conservative spending plans almost match the level of Labour's 2017 #magicmoneytree manifesto and "the government is now adrift without any effective fiscal anchor" 3/
Only 25% of people believe these spending pledges are affordable. We face an "extraordinary level of uncertainty" and the idea of a change to the higher rate income tax threshold would be a "substantial and expensive tax cut from which only those on high incomes would gain" 4/
While the uncertainty and extension continues, growth will remain sluggish. Business investment has fallen from among the highest to the lowest of developed countries in "its most sustained period of contraction outside a recession" 5/
A Brexit deal would lift growth however future trade relations remain unresolved and market access could weaken. The report found our best prospects lie with rejecting Brexit entirely - but the people need to have the #FinalSay 6/
Further research by the @jrf_uk found that Brexit is a lower priority for those low income Leave voters who traditionally back Labour, and warned it would be a mistake for any party to run a General Election campaign focussed on Brexit to target them. 7/
The Conservative Party needs to overcome its zeitgeist and restore our reputation as the party of opportunity and economic responsibility while dealing with the issues people see as more important than Brexit: the cost of living, health, crime, housing, and the environment. 8/
It's clear we need to #GetBrexitDone and the best way (perhaps the only way) to do that is with a #PeoplesVote. Whether ratifying a deal or revoking Article 50, to respect democracy the process must conclude the way it started: with the British people. 9/END