Michael Gove has supported the contentious Brexit bus slogan, arguing that the £350 million weekly payment to the EU should be allocated to the NHS instead.
As a prominent figure in the Leave campaign, Mr. Gove maintained that the £350 million figure was accurate, though he acknowledged the divisive nature of the Brexit discourse. He conceded that the bus message, stating “We send the EU £350 million a week, let’s fund our NHS instead,” continues to provoke strong reactions.
Despite skepticism from fact-checking organization Full Fact, which has questioned the validity of the claim, Mr. Gove stood by the assertion. Full Fact has emphasized that the UK never paid the EU £350 million weekly and raised concerns about the economic repercussions of Brexit on trade and the overall economy.
Recent analysis revealed that Brexit has had a substantial negative impact on the UK economy. The think tank UK in a Changing Europe estimated that GDP per capita, investment, employment, and productivity have all suffered as a consequence of Brexit.
During an interview on Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Mr. Gove expressed no remorse for the £350 million bus claim. He highlighted that the figure was thoroughly debated and asserted that it underestimated the financial contribution the EU received from UK taxpayers.
Mr. Gove further defended the bus claim, stating that while more funds were directed to the NHS post-Brexit, the divisive nature of the Brexit debate hindered convincing people of the veracity of his statements. He emphasized the importance of individuals having control over how their money is spent.
Regarding disagreements from Full Fact and Nigel Farage on the bus claim, Mr. Gove dismissed Full Fact’s stance and disagreed with Farage, maintaining that the claim was not only accurate but also a foresight. He noted that the government ended up allocating significantly more than £350 million weekly to the NHS, benefiting the healthcare system despite the lack of political gains for the Conservatives.
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