UK's no-deal Brexit ad blitz did not leave Britain better prepared - watchdog

 

FILE PHOTO: A man walks past an UK government Brexit information campaign poster at a bus stop in central London, Britain, October 15, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to launch one of the biggest advertising campaigns since World War Two to get Britain ready for a no-deal Brexit was largely ineffective, according to a report by the government’s spending watchdog.

 

The “Get Ready for Brexit” campaign stated that the United Kingdom would be leaving the EU on Oct. 31 last year and urged the public to visit a new website to check what they needed to do to prepare for a no-deal exit.

 

In the end, parliament voted to extend the exit date to the end of this month and Johnson went on to strike a divorce agreement with the bloc.

 

The government had allocated 100 million pounds for its Brexit preparation campaign with adverts running across television, radio, newspapers, online and on billboards. Roadshows and campaigns targeting specific groups, such as road hauliers were also held.

 

The National Audit Office found that the number of people who said that they had looked or started to look for information about what a no-deal Brexit would mean did not notably change during the campaign.

 

The percentage of people looking for information ranged between 32% to 37% percentage during the campaign. When the campaign ended the figure was 34%.

 

“It is not clear that the campaign resulted in the public being significantly better prepared,” said Gareth Davies, the head of the National Audit Office.

 

The government was criticised by lawmakers at the time who said it was a waste of money and misleading to continue running the advertising campaign after parliament ruled out Britain leaving the EU at the end of October.

 

At the point when the campaign ended 46 million pounds of the 100 million budget had been spent.

 

Britain will leave the EU on Friday, concluding years of debate about whether it is be better off outside the bloc, and beginning the process of redefining its economy, its national priorities and its place in the world.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-01-28

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4 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to launch one of the biggest advertising campaigns since World War Two to get Britain ready for a no-deal Brexit was largely ineffective, according to a report by the government’s spending watchdog.

not surprised at all, anything BJ does (did) is (has been) ineffective

damned if they do and damned if they don't

Following the link gov.uk/brexit on the add was redirected to https://www.gov.uk/transition

 

Simple and uncomplicated two advices for the businesses. It's all good. Perhaps not as comprehensive advices a company wishes, but otherwise all good.

 

Preparing your business

If you move goods into or out of the EU, you must get an EORI number.

 

You should also decide how you want to make customs declarations and whether you need to get someone to deal with customs for you.

 

Well businesses have had nearly 4 years to prepare for Brexit and if they are not ready now I have no sympathy for them at all.

 

Granted that the first 3 years under Teresa May were wasted opportunities as she kept repeating the same message. "We will take the UK out of the EU" and "A no deal is better than a bad deal".

 

Anybody who does not have a plan B is a little foolish.

So is Reuter’s slagging Boris for instigating the campaign, or for spending less than half the whole budget? Can they really not find anything specific to slag him off about, so resorting to just another general anti-Boris and anti-Brexit article?

How about slagging those who caused three years delay - the Remainers, the deniers, the fools. 

9 hours ago, Mavideol said:

not surprised at all, anything BJ does (did) is (has been) ineffective

Yet, he is the one finally making things happen.

2 hours ago, Loiner said:

So is Reuter’s slagging Boris for instigating the campaign, or for spending less than half the whole budget? Can they really not find anything specific to slag him off about, so resorting to just another general anti-Boris and anti-Brexit article?

How about slagging those who caused three years delay - the Remainers, the deniers, the fools. 

So the blaming continues: it’s the fault of people with a different view............

4 hours ago, Loiner said:

So is Reuter’s slagging Boris for instigating the campaign, or for spending less than half the whole budget? Can they really not find anything specific to slag him off about, so resorting to just another general anti-Boris and anti-Brexit article?

How about slagging those who caused three years delay - the Remainers, the deniers, the fools. 

Reuters is reporting the findings of a UK Government Spending Watchdog.

 

Uncomfortable facts, but nevertheless facts.

2 hours ago, chrisgdr said:

Yet, he is the one finally making things happen.

We’ve yet to see what it is he ‘makes happen’.

4 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

We’ve yet to see what it is he ‘makes happen’.

I've got a hunch you may see it happen on the 31st of January.

 

4 hours ago, Loiner said:

So is Reuter’s slagging Boris for instigating the campaign, or for spending less than half the whole budget? Can they really not find anything specific to slag him off about, so resorting to just another general anti-Boris and anti-Brexit article?

How about slagging those who caused three years delay - the Remainers, the deniers, the fools. 

The delay happened because Brexiteers did not know what they actually wanted. They deliberately failed to set out what Brexit would actually be. Before the election the Leave campaign was claiming we would be staying in the single market and the customs union.

After it won it suddenly decided that was not going to happen. This means a hard border in Ireland. Everyone agrees that not a good thing so eventually its decided to put it down the Irish sea. Which is pretty much unworkable but Brexiteers dont do detail just slogans. 

So stop trying to blame everyone else for your failures. Its the Brexiteers failure to set out what Brexit would look like prior to the referendum which has caused the delay.

5 minutes ago, vogie said:

I've got a hunch you may see it happen on the 31st of January.

 

Well something will happen, but don’t take anything Johnson as said as an indication as to precisely what will happen.

12 hours ago, Mavideol said:

not surprised at all, anything BJ does (did) is (has been) ineffective

 Yeah Sadiq Khan and Terrible May are doing/did far more as Mayor and PM than Boris has...

5 hours ago, Loiner said:

So is Reuter’s slagging Boris for instigating the campaign, or for spending less than half the whole budget? Can they really not find anything specific to slag him off about, so resorting to just another general anti-Boris and anti-Brexit article?

How about slagging those who caused three years delay - the Remainers, the deniers, the fools. 

The delay was largely taken up between the Hard Brexiteers and everybody else. Fortunately there will not be a Hard Brexit on Jan 31 and who can we thank for that? Boris. Well done.

 Don’t the UK now have a WHOLE month the sort their trade priorities before formal negotiations start with the EU in March?

 

Wow, talk about being prepared!

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

We’ve yet to see what it is he ‘makes happen’.

so who would you suggest? does it?

Getting on with it...

UK and EEA EFTA States sign Separation Agreement

A much more favourable view of Brexit here.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-7927123/ALEXANDER-VON-SCHOENBURG-says-Germany-fears-Britain-face-reality-Brexit.html?fbclid=IwAR0JF7nbL-mOaj8giPBwbZy9gaBaAtfHawNqMrgk5qxTkLSEXZt6fkCqc3E

15 hours ago, TheDark said:

Following the link gov.uk/brexit on the add was redirected to https://www.gov.uk/transition

 

Simple and uncomplicated two advices for the businesses. It's all good. Perhaps not as comprehensive advices a company wishes, but otherwise all good.

 

Preparing your business

If you move goods into or out of the EU, you must get an EORI number.

 

You should also decide how you want to make customs declarations and whether you need to get someone to deal with customs for you.

 

 

I saw a stupid CEO griping on the BBC. She has had nearly 4 years to prepare. Instead she appears to have done nothing and now whining that the government should have done it all for her.

 

What the **** does she think her job his? She has to prepare the business for long term, manage complexity and contradictions and use her brain. Probably a lefy liberal hoping it would all be reversed or some wet <deleted> artist like May would water it all down.

 

These usually very highly remunerated CEO's and their equally well remunerated senior teams love rewarding themselves when times are good. Soon as it gets hard work they whine and blame the government!

16 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

I saw a stupid CEO griping on the BBC. She has had nearly 4 years to prepare. Instead she appears to have done nothing and now whining that the government should have done it all for her.

 

What the **** does she think her job his? She has to prepare the business for long term, manage complexity and contradictions and use her brain. Probably a lefy liberal hoping it would all be reversed or some wet <deleted> artist like May would water it all down.

 

These usually very highly remunerated CEO's and their equally well remunerated senior teams love rewarding themselves when times are good. Soon as it gets hard work they whine and blame the government!

Oh geez, a business person hoping a pro business conservative government wouldn’t undertake decisions leading to unnecessary and costly burdens on them doing international business, burdens which they’d have to pass on to consumers via higher costs and/or compensate for by lowering head count!

 

How snowflake lefty of them! 

7 hours ago, chrisgdr said:

Yet, he is the one finally making things happen.

so, what things has he made happen so far? oh I know, win the PM's majority, because for brexit he really has done nothing YET .... wait and see, surprises on their way  555

4 hours ago, vogie said:

I've got a hunch you may see it happen on the 31st of January.

 

and ????

1 hour ago, evadgib said:

Getting on with it...

UK and EEA EFTA States sign Separation Agreement

and your point being????

This agreement largely mirrors the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated with the EU.

5 hours ago, SheungWan said:

The delay was largely taken up between the Hard Brexiteers and everybody else. Fortunately there will not be a Hard Brexit on Jan 31 and who can we thank for that? Boris. Well done.

 

right,

but the hardness may come towards the end of this year though, if trade talks goes down the drain . .

 

The money may well have ben better spent in the health sector instead of flag waving.

The UK has 5 tough years ahead

2 hours ago, melvinmelvin said:

 

right,

but the hardness may come towards the end of this year though, if trade talks goes down the drain . .

 

IF, IF, IF, Boris will make it happen ,unlike all the remaining whiners

2 hours ago, melvinmelvin said:

 

right,

but the hardness may come towards the end of this year though, if trade talks goes down the drain . .

 

 

6 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

IF, IF, IF, Boris will make it happen ,unlike all the remaining whiners

Fortunately Boris didn't die in the ditch which the Kamikaze Brexiteers would have preferred him to do taking us all down with him. Instead we have a transitional year, so that's good instead of the no-deal Brexit brayed for so long by the forum Hard Brexiteers. The odds are that there will also be a trade deal at the end of this, so that all finally puts an end to the driving off the edge of a cliff which the loons would have voted for. Instead we get a compromise.

8 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

 

Fortunately Boris didn't die in the ditch which the Kamikaze Brexiteers would have preferred him to do taking us all down with him. Instead we have a transitional year, so that's good instead of the no-deal Brexit brayed for so long by the forum Hard Brexiteers. The odds are that there will also be a trade deal at the end of this, so that all finally puts an end to the driving off the edge of a cliff which the loons would have voted for. Instead we get a compromise.

A compromise? A fudge would be more like it. 

10 minutes ago, stephenterry said:

A compromise? A fudge would be more like it. 

I'll take the fudge of the transitional arrangements over the Hard Brexiteer crashing out at the end of this week.