The government has responded to a petition demanding a public inquiry into the effects of Brexit.
After racking up almost 70,000 signatures, an official response from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office noted that there would be no inquiry into the devastating effects of the UK’s split with its closest trading partner because “everything is functioning as intended”.
They add that the UK’s departure from the EU “is the result of a democratic choice” and that the government “does not believe” it to be an “appropriate subject for a public inquiry”.
The Bank of England has recently warned that the UK is about to enter the ‘longest recession in modern history’ with negative growth expected up until the first half of 2024.
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) says Brexit has had a “significant adverse impact on UK trade”, estimating that the split will result in the UK’s trade intensity being 15 per cent lower in the long run than if the country had remained in the EU, while the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) finds “very clearly, Brexit was an economic own-goal”.
The petition demanding an inquiry into the process notes:
“It is time that the people of this country were told the truth about Brexit, good or bad.
“We deserve to know how Brexit is impacting on trade, the economy, opportunities for young people and how it has affected the rights of individuals.
“This can only be done by an independent Public Inquiry, free from ideology and the opinions of vested interests.”
Related: Brexit has made Britain ‘the sick man of Europe again’