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EU referendum campaigns 'misleading voters' EU referendum campaigns 'misleading voters'
(35 minutes later)
The two sides in the EU referendum campaign have been accused of peddling "misleading" figures and "implausible assumptions" by a committee of MPs.The two sides in the EU referendum campaign have been accused of peddling "misleading" figures and "implausible assumptions" by a committee of MPs.
The Treasury Select Committee calls Vote Leave's claim that leaving the EU would save £350m a week "deeply problematic". The Treasury Select Committee calls Vote Leave's claim that Brexit would save £350m a week "deeply problematic".
And it criticises the Remain campaign's claim the cost of imports could rise by "at least" £11bn if the UK leaves. And it says Remain's claims families would be worse off by £4,300 a year if Britain quit the EU were "mistaken" and had "probably confused" voters.
The rival groups are failing to inform the public, the MPs say.The rival groups are failing to inform the public, the MPs say.
Vote Leave's £350m-a-week claim - repeated again today - does not take into account Britain's rebate and payments that flow back to the UK, the committee, chaired by Conservative MP Andrew Tyrie, says.Vote Leave's £350m-a-week claim - repeated again today - does not take into account Britain's rebate and payments that flow back to the UK, the committee, chaired by Conservative MP Andrew Tyrie, says.
"Vote Leave's persistence with it is deeply problematic," the report says."Vote Leave's persistence with it is deeply problematic," the report says.
"It sits very awkwardly with its promises to the Electoral Commission to work in a spirit that reflects its "very significant responsibility" and the "gravity of the choice facing the British people". "It sits very awkwardly with its promises to the Electoral Commission to work in a spirit that reflects its 'very significant responsibility' and the 'gravity of the choice facing the British people'."
'Confused readers' 'Mistaken assertion'
The report says Britain Stronger In Europe's claim that the cost of imports could rise by "at least" £11bn and have a knock-on effect on household bills is based on an "implausible assumption". The committee criticised Chancellor George Osborne over his claim that a Treasury analysis showed that "families would be £4,300 worse off" if Britain left the EU.
"Presenting the figures on the impact of Brexit on a per-household basis, as the Stronger In campaign has done, is likely to be misconstrued by readers, especially in the heat of a campaign, and probably has confused them," it said. "This is not what the main Treasury analysis found - the average impact on household disposable incomes would be considerably smaller than this number, which refers to the impact on GDP per household," the report said.
"It may have left many readers thinking that the figures refer to the effect of leaving the EU on household disposable income, which they do not." "It may have left many readers thinking that the figures refer to the effect of leaving the EU on household disposable income, which they do not," the report added.
The report said government departments and Remain campaigners should not repeat this "mistaken assertion," adding: "To persist with this claim would be to misrepresent the Treasury's own work."
Are we giving £350m a week to Brussels?Are we giving £350m a week to Brussels?
Do we get £1,200 back for every £120 we put into the EU?Do we get £1,200 back for every £120 we put into the EU?
Would Brexit cost your family £4,300?Would Brexit cost your family £4,300?
The committee also finds that it is misleading to claim that three million jobs are dependent on Britain's membership of the EU.The committee also finds that it is misleading to claim that three million jobs are dependent on Britain's membership of the EU.
"Without an estimate of how much trade would be lost as a result of Brexit, the impact on job losses cannot readily be estimated," it said."Without an estimate of how much trade would be lost as a result of Brexit, the impact on job losses cannot readily be estimated," it said.
"The wider public might form the mistaken impression that all these jobs would be lost or at risk if the UK left the EU."The wider public might form the mistaken impression that all these jobs would be lost or at risk if the UK left the EU.
"Campaigners should be clear that 3 million jobs may be associated with, but would not necessarily be dependent on, our membership of the EU." "Campaigners should be clear that three million jobs may be associated with, but would not necessarily be dependent on, our membership of the EU."
'Arms race''Arms race'
Committee chairman Andrew Tyrie told BBC Radio 4's World at One that Vote Leave's £350m claim was "by far the most serious claim out there" which was "simply not true".Committee chairman Andrew Tyrie told BBC Radio 4's World at One that Vote Leave's £350m claim was "by far the most serious claim out there" which was "simply not true".
"But what we really need is an end to the arms race of ever more lurid claims and counter claims made by both sides on this."But what we really need is an end to the arms race of ever more lurid claims and counter claims made by both sides on this.
"I think it's confusing the public, it's impoverishing political debate... the public are thoroughly fed up with it.""I think it's confusing the public, it's impoverishing political debate... the public are thoroughly fed up with it."
The report singles out Vote Leave's Matthew Elliott and Dominic Cummings for their "appalling" treatment of the committee.The report singles out Vote Leave's Matthew Elliott and Dominic Cummings for their "appalling" treatment of the committee.
The cross-party committee also says it is "highly unsatisfactory" that it was unable to scrutinise the government's analysis of the short-term impact of Brexit in time to include it in the report.The cross-party committee also says it is "highly unsatisfactory" that it was unable to scrutinise the government's analysis of the short-term impact of Brexit in time to include it in the report.
The report says: "It is to be hoped that scrutiny and transparency have not, in this case, been subordinated to the imperatives of the Number 10 'media grid'."The report says: "It is to be hoped that scrutiny and transparency have not, in this case, been subordinated to the imperatives of the Number 10 'media grid'."
The chairman of the UK Statistics Authority has again rebuked Vote Leave over the £350m claim. Sir Andrew Dilnot said that he was "disappointed" that they continued to claim the full amount could be spent in the UK, saying it "undermined trust in official statistics". The chairman of the UK Statistics Authority has again rebuked Vote Leave over the £350m claim. Sir Andrew Dilnot said that he was "disappointed" the group continued to claim the full amount could be spent in the UK, saying it "undermined trust in official statistics".
Vote Leave repeated the claim on Friday when it launched a contest to win £50m for anyone who can correctly predict the result of all 51 games in the Euro 2016 football championships. In it they said the £50m figure represents the amount Britain sends to the EU each day. Vote Leave repeated the claim on Friday when it launched a contest to win £50m for anyone who can correctly predict the result of all 51 games in the Euro 2016 football championships. It said the £50m figure represents the amount Britain sends to the EU each day.