British Sandwich Association director Jim Winslip has warned his members would struggle to make fresh sandwiches. But Mr Winslip’s claims on BBC Newsnight have been ridiculed and highlighted the misinformation being put out about a World Trade Organisation deal that experts believe will massively lift Britain’s GDP.
Tim Martin, the owner of Wetherspoons pubs who has moved to sourcing British-only products and played a leading role in the Leave campaign, said that moving to WTO rules with the EU will lead to cheaper food prices because their tariffs on food outside the bloc will no longer apply.
He said: “The EU is a protectionist organisation that allows free trade to the seven per cent of the world within its borders but charges high food tariffs to the 93 per cent that isn’t.
“The EU charges tariffs on over 12,000 products. On leaving the EU, parliament can scrap food tariffs on non-EU products, immediately bringing prices down.
“By leaving the EU without a deal next year the UK can save £39billion, equivalent to £600 for every man, woman and child. We can also regain control of our fishing grounds. All this can be without the agreement of the EU or any other country.
“It’s called the free trade option but it’s been cleverly renamed ‘No Deal’ by Europhile spin doctors.”
Tory MP Marcus Fysh described the sandwich claims as “ludicrous”.
Former Brexit minister David Jones said: “The impression is deliberately cultivated that overseas trade will be much more difficult, if not impossible.
“This is nonsense. Britain will continue to trade with the EU on the same basis as with every other country in the world.”
