Thread by @StevePeers

1 Let's talk about the dishonest and hypocritical campaign for "no deal" Brexit - starting with this grotesque lie.

2 The UK doesn't trade with the non-EU world on WTO terms. First of all, the EU has a number of free trade agreements. Map from WTO site.

3 Here's those deals in list form. Info from the WTO site here: rtais.wto.org/UI/PublicMaint…

4 Where the EU doesn't have an FTA it has other trade deals in force, as @OliverNorgrove discussed here:

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5 One example: some EU trade deals protect the trade name of a major Scottish export, such as this deal with Canada before the new FTA.

6 Link to that EU/Canada treaty on wine and spirits here: eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/…

7 Then there's the sheer hypocrisy of the "WTO only" argument. Remember "The EU won't let us do trade deals with the rest of the world"?

8 This argument presupposes that FTAs are a great thing. So how can its advocates also claim we need no FTA with our largest trade partner?

9 Remember "the EU is a protectionist racket?". An exaggerated claim. But the people who make it also say we shouldn't have an FTA with EU?

10 Why shouldn't we aim to reduce those trade barriers as far as possible by signing an FTA with - I repeat - our biggest trading partner?

11 Is there a democratic mandate for "no deal"? Hell no. Here's what Vote Leave promised: staying part of a European free trade zone.

12 Link to the Vote Leave site here: voteleavetakecontrol.org/briefing_newde…

13 Remember "people knew they were voting to leave the single market". Maybe. But they were sure as hell told they'd have free trade with EU

14 Imagine you're a factory worker in the North of England or the Midlands, attracted by Leave arguments but worried about your job.

15 The Leave side reassures you the EU signs lots of FTAs. True, although FTAs aren't the same as single market participation.

16 But now your vote is interpreted as a vote for no FTA at all. If WTO terms are so great, why'd they promise an FTA to referendum voters?

17 Don't blame Leave voters, blame Leave liars. The sight of Rees-Mogg, IDS etc treating working class voters with contempt makes me seethe.

18 I'm the son of a factory worker. Most of my family have been laid off at some point. Rees-Mogg will never know or care what that's like.

19 What about "economic forecasts get it wrong" and "the forecasters are biased"? Let's turn those arguments around, shall we?

20 Mervyn King, hard Brexit pinup, admits screwing up over the financial crisis, causing God knows how much damage: telegraph.co.uk/finance/econom…

21 Patrick Minford, WTO only dude, backed the poll tax and wrongly forecast the minimum wage would cost many jobs: google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theg…

22 What's that phrase again? It's on the tip of my tongue.

Oh yes.

"Wrong then - and wrong now"

23 What about forecaster bias? Here's the Legatum Institute, the WTO only fans with their tentacles throughout govt: eureferendum.com/blogview.aspx?…

24 Their specialty - "disaster capitalism", including health care. What could possibly attract them to damaging the UK economy?

25 I don't like Brexit, but I engage constructively for the sake of damage control. But "no deal" nonsense is another kettle of fish.

26 If anyone tells me to "get behind no deal Brexit", my answer is, inspired by May's conference speech:

uck off and die

*ends