Brexit will be 'like the Blitz', claims OECD boss
2 min read
Brexit will be "like the Blitz" - but the UK will be able to make it work, according to the head of a leading think tank.
Angel Gurria, chief executive of the OECD, repeated Winston Churchill's wartime call to "stay calm and carry on" as he gave their assessment of the UK economy.
In a report launched at the Treasury, the Paris-based organisation said keeping close links to the EU would be “crucial” to Britain’s future prosperity, while a ‘no deal’ Brexit could be catastrophic for the UK economy.
They also suggested that a second EU referendum could be held in order to reverse the result of the first one.
Standing alongside Chancellor Philip Hammond, who has faced criticism from Brexiteers over his assessments of how leaving the EU will affect the UK economy, Mr Gurria said: "It’s [Brexit] going to work, you are going to make it work.
"The only question is how long will it take? Are there costs attached? Yes there are, yes there will be."
He added: “Stay the course. What was that thing Churchill said? Stay calm and carry on. This is like in the Blitz except fortunately, not the Blitz."
The OECD report gave a gloomy prognosis of what Brexit will mean for the UK economy.
"The United Kingdom is facing challenging times, with Brexit creating serious economic uncertainties that could stifle growth for years to come,” said Mr Gurria.
"Maintaining the closest economic relationship with the European Union will be absolutely key, for the trade of goods and services as well as the movement of labour."
A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister said the OECD was "an independent body who are responsible for their own comments" and questioned the contents of their report.
She added: "The OECD are a respected international body. They based it on a no deal situation, which is not what we're looking for. We're confident that we're going to strike a good deal."
