Amid all the announcements today, it's easy to overlook that the OBR has updated its scenario on a no-deal Brexit. It exposes an undeniably hard reality for the Govt that claims that the UK would "prosper mightily" under no-deal next year.
(Short thread)
1. Key chart: a no-deal/WTO/Australia-style Brexit would delay the point at which econ output regains its pre-virus peak by "almost a year to the third quarter of 2023."
In the upside scenario, this cross-over point could be at the start of 2022; in the downside, in 2025. Grim.
2. Next year, a no deal Brexit would reduce real GDP by around a further 2% - as a result of immediate disruption to the border and uncertainty facing businesses. That's on top of the Covid-related contraction.
3. While there's some short-term border disruption, most of the costs come in the medium term: from lost employment; productivity losses; lower business investment.
Exactly the opposite of what the Chancellor said to @AndrewMarr9 on Sunday.
4. Underneath these numbers, output would fall *below* the Covid levels for several key sectors: Manufacturing, professional services, financial services, retail, energy.
All trade intensive sectors that have been spared the same drop in output as the non-tradables this year.