Ross Clark - Böcker

In 2020, after three and a half years of bitter negotiations, Britain left the European Union. For some it was a day of freedom, for others a tragedy which would leave Britain isolated and poorer. Vote Brexit, the Remain campaign warned us, and it would be an act of self-harm. The economy would collapse, sending prices and unemployment soaring. Meanwhile, in contrast to xenophobic, inward-looking Britain, the EU would soar ahead without us.But is that really what has happened? Ross Clark reveals just how badly the EU is doing - and how in many ways Britain is doing better. Since Brexit, for example, the UK economy has grown faster than Germany's. In spite of inflation which followed the pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine, Britain has the lowest food prices in Europe. The air is cleaner than in many countries. Despite recent events surveys suggest there is less racism and xenophobia in Britain than in almost any other European country.For years, European economies have been far more sluggish than those of other developed countries. In the absence of economic growth and with high migration, European societies are strained. The far right is advancing and public disillusionment with the EU growing quickly. While Britain shares many of Europe's problems to a greater or less extent, this hard-hitting polemic argues that it now has the means to disentangle itself from the EU's draw strings set off on a more prosperous path.

In 2020, after three and a half years of bitter negotiations, Britain left the European Union. For some it was a day of freedom, for others a tragedy which would leave Britain isolated and poorer. Vote Brexit, the Remain campaign warned us, and it would be an act of self-harm. The economy would collapse, sending prices and unemployment soaring. Meanwhile, in contrast to xenophobic, inward-looking Britain, the EU would soar ahead without us.But is that really what has happened? Ross Clark reveals just how badly the EU is doing - and how in many ways Britain is doing better. Since Brexit, for example, the UK economy has grown faster than Germany's. In spite of inflation which followed the pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine, Britain has the lowest food prices in Europe. The air is cleaner than in many countries. Surveys repeatedly suggest there is less racism and xenophobia in Britain than in almost any other European country.For years, European economies have been far more sluggish than those of other developed countries. In the absence of economic growth and with high migration, European societies are strained. The far right is advancing and public disillusionment with the EU growing quickly. While Britain shares many of Europe's problems to a greater or less extent, this hard-hitting polemic argues that it now has the means to disentangle itself from the EU's draw strings set off on a more prosperous path.

In 2020, after three and a half years of bitter negotiations, Britain left the European Union. For some it was a day of freedom, for others a tragedy which would leave Britain isolated and poorer. Vote Brexit, the Remain campaign warned us, and it would be an act of self-harm. The economy would collapse, sending prices and unemployment soaring. Meanwhile, in contrast to xenophobic, inward-looking Britain, the EU would soar ahead without us.But is that really what has happened? Ross Clark reveals just how badly the EU is doing - and how in many ways Britain is doing better. Since Brexit, for example, the UK economy has grown faster than Germany's. In spite of inflation which followed the pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine, Britain has the lowest food prices in Europe. The air is cleaner than in many countries. Despite recent events surveys suggest there is less racism and xenophobia in Britain than in almost any other European country.For years, European economies have been far more sluggish than those of other developed countries. In the absence of economic growth and with high migration, European societies are strained. The far right is advancing and public disillusionment with the EU growing quickly. While Britain shares many of Europe's problems to a greater or less extent, this hard-hitting polemic argues that it now has the means to disentangle itself from the EU's draw strings set off on a more prosperous path.

‘Bravely challenging the Establishment consensus … forensically argued’ - Mail on SundayThe British government has embarked on an ambitious and legally-binding climate change target: reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions to Net Zero by 2050. The Net Zero policy was subject to almost no parliamentary or public scrutiny, and is universally approved by our political class. But what will its consequences be?Ross Clark argues that it is a terrible mistake, an impractical hostage to fortune which will have massive downsides. Achieving the target is predicated on the rapid development of technologies that are either non-existent, highly speculative or untested. Clark shows that efforts to achieve the target will inevitably result in a huge hit to living standards, which will clobber the poorest hardest, and gift a massive geopolitical advantage to hostile superpowers such as China and Russia. The unrealistic and rigid timetable it imposes could also result in our committing to technologies which turn out to be ineffective, all while distracting ourselves from the far more important objective of adaptation.This hard-hitting polemic provides a timely critique of a potentially devastating political consensus which could hobble Britain’s economy, cost billions and not even be effective.

‘Bravely challenging the Establishment consensus … forensically argued’ - Mail on SundayThe British government has embarked on an ambitious and legally-binding climate change target: reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions to Net Zero by 2050. The Net Zero policy was subject to almost no parliamentary or public scrutiny, and is universally approved by our political class. But what will its consequences be?Ross Clark argues that it is a terrible mistake, an impractical hostage to fortune which will have massive downsides. Achieving the target is predicated on the rapid development of technologies that are either non-existent, highly speculative or untested. Clark shows that efforts to achieve the target will inevitably result in a huge hit to living standards, which will clobber the poorest hardest, and gift a massive geopolitical advantage to hostile superpowers such as China and Russia. The unrealistic and rigid timetable it imposes could also result in our committing to technologies which turn out to be ineffective, all while distracting ourselves from the far more important objective of adaptation.This hard-hitting polemic provides a timely critique of a potentially devastating political consensus which could hobble Britain’s economy, cost billions and not even be effective.