Boris Johnson struggles to woo remainers with Brexit lovebomb

John Springford, deputy director of the Centre for European Reform, argued there was no evidence that British regulation was more effective than the EU’s. He pointed out that productivity was 20-25% lower in the UK than in France and Germany, and that the big technological developments were emerging from the US.

He said also that changing procurement rules did not fit with an internationalist vision, as set out by Johnson, and would not benefit British consumers.

Meanwhile, Springford (and housing groups) suggested that the limits to housebuilding in Britain were more linked to UK planning restrictions than EU-wide rules, such as the habitats directive, that Johnson appeared to be targeting in his speech.