Research
Polskie Radio: Straty W. Brytanii na wyjściu z Unii Europejskiej
03 February 2018
Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform speaks to Polskie Radio about transition period for Brexit.
Tories are lying to the voters and themselves over Brexit
03 February 2018
The Times
In the Commons this week, Jacob Rees-Mogg, famously the gentleman, slandered a studious and respected think-tanker and some identifiable Treasury officials. He did this by repeating a piece of hearsay, echoing it back to the colleague he’d heard it from, so that parliament and the public could hear it too. Mr Rees-Mogg’s question showed signs of careful preparation and there will be speculation that the pair (the colleague was a minister) had colluded in this exchange. Perhaps. The involuntary wince on the face of the Brexit secretary David Davis spoke volumes. The story was entirely false. The House has now heard an apology from Rees-Mogg’s ministerial colleague. But from Gentleman Jake? From the man who published the story? Only slippery evasion.
Theresa May justifies refusal to sack embattled Brexit Minister Steve Baker amid fury at civil service conspiracy comments
02 February 2018
The Independent
Mr Baker told MPs he had heard the claim that civil servants were trying to fix a soft Brexit from Charles Grant, head of the influential Centre for European Reform think tank, at a lunch at the Conservative Party conference in 2017. But a recording of the exchange emerged which contradicted his claims, in which Mr Grant said the Treasury was “determined” to stay in the customs union but nothing further.
Brexit Minister Steve Baker sorry for conspiracy about civil servants scuppering EU withdrawal
02 February 2018
ITV News
The storm erupted after Jacob Rees-Mogg asked the minister to confirm if he had heard from Charles Grant, of the Centre for European Reform think tank, that "officials in the Treasury have deliberately developed a model to show that all options other than staying in the customs union were bad and that officials intended to use this to influence policy." Baker said that account was "essentially correct." "At the time I considered it implausible because my direct experience is that civil servants are extraordinarily careful to uphold the impartiality of the civil service," he added. Grant strongly denied the claims, and Baker was forced into an apology when an audio recording emerged which contradicted the minister's recollection of the comments.
Theresa May refuses to sack Brexit minister Steve Baker over Whitehall comments
02 February 2018
The Huffington Post
Backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg, a hardline Brexiteer, had sparked the row when he pressed the minister about claims made by Charles Grant, of the Centre For European Reform think-tank. Baker had said he was “sorry to say” Rees-Mogg’s account was “essentially correct”.
“At the time I considered it implausible, because my direct experience is that civil servants are extraordinarily careful to uphold the impartiality of the Civil Service,” he added.
“At the time I considered it implausible, because my direct experience is that civil servants are extraordinarily careful to uphold the impartiality of the Civil Service,” he added.
EU threatens sanctions to stop Britain undercutting economy
02 February 2018
The Times
The latest row blew up when Mr Baker was asked by Jacob Rees-Mogg to confirm that Charles Grant, head of the Centre for European Reform, had told him that “officials in the Treasury have deliberately developed a model to show that all options other than staying in the customs union are bad, and that officials intend to use the model to influence policy”.
Brexit minister suggests civil servants conspiring against government
02 February 2018
The Irish Times
Jacob Rees-Mogg, the current chairman of the ERG, asked Mr Baker in the Commons on Thursday if he had heard a claim from Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform think tank, that “officials in the Treasury have deliberately developed a model to show that all options other than staying in the customs union were bad and that officials intended to use this to influence policy”. Mr Baker said that Mr Rees-Mogg’s account was “essentially correct”, although he said he could not confirm that civil servants had deliberately skewed data. Mr Grant later disputed the account of his remarks, saying that he had told a lunch meeting that Treasury officials favoured a soft Brexit but had not suggested that their data modelling was influenced by that view.
Theresa May will not sack Steve Baker for suggesting he'd heard about a pro-Remain plot
02 February 2018
BuzzFeed News
Theresa May has said Steve Baker will not be sacked over comments made in the House of Commons which appeared to suggest there was a pro-Remain conspiracy. ...Baker failed to challenge a claim from Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg on Thursday that Charles Grant, from the Centre for European Reform think-tank, had alleged this was the case to the minister. He vowed to apologise after he was criticised by MPs and the trade union for senior civil servants.
Theresa May must show her Brexit hand following week of leaks
02 February 2018
The Scotsman
Brexit minister Steve Baker came to the Commons at the start of business on Friday to apologise to MPs.The storm erupted after leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg asked him to confirm if he had heard from Charles Grant, of the Centre for European Reform think tank, that “officials in the Treasury have deliberately developed a model to show that all options other than staying in the customs union were bad”.
Steve Baker is safe, but sorry
02 February 2018
The Telegraph
Mr Baker insisted that his comments had been based on an “honest recollection” about the conversation he had with think-tank boss Charles Grant, but he was happy to clarify himself. “As I have put on record many times, I have the highest regard for our hard-working civil servants,” he said.
Brexit minister Steve Baker apologises for saying Treasury officials 'skewed' economy analysis
02 February 2018
The Evening Standard
Mr Baker admitted he should have dismissed the allegation — that Treasury officials were drawing up skewed economic studies to make the case for staying in a customs union with the EU — out of hand when it was raised by fellow Right-winger Jacob Rees-Mogg in the chamber yesterday. Standing up on a point of order, Mr Baker told MPs: “I wish to correct the record of my answer yesterday.” He said he had listened to an audio tape that undermined the account he and Mr Rees-Mogg had given — which was that the allegation had been made to them by the head of the Centre for European Reform think tank, Charles Grant.
Tory Brexit minister makes grovelling public apology for failing to challenge claims of a 'pro-remain conspiracy'
02 February 2018
The Mirror
Speaking in the Commons this morning, Mr Baker told MPs: "I wish to correct the record of my answer yesterday to (Mr Rees-Mogg). He is aware of this point of order. "Yesterday I answered a question based on my honest recollection of conversation. As I explained yesterday, I considered what I understood the suggestion being put to me as implausible because of the long-standing and well regarded impartiality of the civil service.
"The audio of that conversation is now available and I'm glad the record stands corrected.
"The audio of that conversation is now available and I'm glad the record stands corrected.
Battle lines drawn on Brexit
02 February 2018
Financial Times
If the UK does go down the road of staying in a customs union, we can see what kind of deal might be struck. Britain could end up adopting what John Springford and Sam Lowe of the Centre for European Reform call the “Jersey option” (because the Crown Dependencies enjoy a similar relationship with the EU). ...However, as the CER notes, the Jersey option would require Mrs May to soften many of her red lines and her party would be likely to defenestrate her if she did so.
This civil servants' union boss says the PM should consider whether Steve Baker is fit to be a minister
01 February 2018
BuzzFeed
Steve Baker was asked by Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg in the House of Commons on Thursday to confirm that he had heard that Treasury officials had "deliberately developed a model to show that all options other than staying in the customs union were bad and that officials intended to use this to influence policy".The apparent foundation for the claim was later called into question by Centre for European Reform director Charles Grant, the man Rees-Mogg named as the source for his claims.Grant issued a statement that said he "did not say or imply" that the Treasury "had deliberately developed a model to show that all options outside the customs union were bad with an intention to influence policy".
Steve Baker accepts mistake in civil service 'conspiracy theory' row
01 February 2018
BBC News
During Commons Brexit questions, prominent Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg had asked Mr Baker to confirm if he had heard from Charles Grant, of the Centre for European Reform think-tank, that "officials in the Treasury have deliberately developed a model to show that all options other than staying in the customs union were bad and that officials intended to use this to influence policy".
Brexit Minister forced into humiliating retreat after explosive attack on civil service
01 February 2018
The Sun
Steve Baker’s explosive claims sparked a Whitehall civil war but he later apologised after his allegations were disowned by the expert source he said he heard the rumour from. ...Last night Mr Baker said: “This morning in Parliament, I answered a question based on my honest recollection of a conversation. As I said, I considered what I had understood to be implausible, because of the impartiality of the civil service.“The audio of that conversation is now available and I am glad the record stands corrected. In the context of that audio, I accept that I should have corrected the premise of the question.
Brexit minister says civil servants may be distorting evidence to keep UK in EU customs union
01 February 2018
The Independent
Civil servants may be secretly distorting evidence to “influence” the Government to stay in the EU’s customs union, a Brexit minister has suggested. Steve Baker floated the extraordinary conspiracy claim on the floor of the House of Commons, telling MPs he did not necessarily believe it – but did not rule it out.“I think it would be quite extraordinary if it turned out that such a thing had happened,” the hard Brexit supporter said.Meanwhile, the think-tank head who spoke with Mr Baker - Charles Grant, of the Centre for European Reform – flatly denied he had made any allegation about a civil service conspiracy.
David Davis says he is speaking to "every member state I can" on post-Brexit City deal while Steve Baker doubles down on civil servants claim
01 February 2018
City A.M
Minister Steve Baker doubled-down on comments he made earlier in the week when he confirmed backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg's claim that he had heard from Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, that “officials in the Treasury have deliberately developed a model to show that all options other than staying in the customs union were bad and that officials intended to use this to influence policy".
Minister issues thinly veiled hint that civil servants are purposely drawing up gloomy economic forecasts in a bid to keep the UK in the customs union amid fears May is 'going soft on Brexit'
01 February 2018
The Daily Mail
Brexit Minister Steve Baker told MPs that he had been told the 'extraordinary' claim by Charles Grant from the respected Centre for European Reform think-tank. The revelation comes maid fears that Theresa May is 'going soft on Brexit' and getting ready to change her position and keep the UK in the EU customs union.
Jacob Rees-Mogg defends raising claims of Brexit 'conspiracy'
01 February 2018
Sky News
Mr Rees-Mogg asked Brexit minister Steve Baker in the Commons to confirm if he had been told about allegations that civil servants were trying to get ministers to back staying in the EU's customs union. ...The Centre for European Reform's Charles Grant, who was alleged to have been the source of the claim at a Tory party conference event last year, denied making it.