Boris Johnson was accused of “squandering” taxpayers’ money today after government papers revealed £5 million was spent advertising the October 31 Brexit deadline in just three weeks.
A £100 million “Get Ready For Brexit” campaign was launched in September to prepare people and businesses for leaving the EU.
The Standard can reveal that in its first month, the Cabinet Office spent £4,719,504 on adverts counting down to Brexit day on October 31. The cost is expected to rise when the Government announces how much it spent in October.
Most of the money was spent after MPs voted to effectively block a no-deal exit through the Benn Act, which became law on September 9.
The advertising campaign was suspended on October 28 when Mr Johnson sent a letter to the European Union saying he accepted a Brexit extension until January 31.
Meg Hillier, Labour’s candidate in Hackney South and Shoreditch and former chairwoman of the Public Accounts Committee, said: “The Tory Government was spending taxpayers’ money like water on a campaign that was at best late and at worst pointless once an abrupt exit on October 31 had been ruled out. It seems that the PM was lining the beginning of his election campaign with gold.”
Lib Dem Brexit spokesman Tom Brake said: “The ‘Get Ready for Brexit’ propaganda campaign was a Boris Johnson vanity exercise. Despite Parliament blocking a no-deal, arrogantly he chose to squander millions of taxpayers’ money. Just imagine what could have been done with that money?”
The advertising campaign included billboards and messages on bus stops, while branded mugs and T-shirts were ordered.
According to Cabinet Office documents, the spend includes £1,013,809 paid to communications agency Manning Gottlieb OMD on September 26 for “marketing and media — advertising”.
The Cabinet Office data also reveals a further £1,167,722 was spent on consultants and services dedicated to leaving the EU.
A spokesman for the Tory Party said: “It was absolutely right that we prepare the country to leave the EU as politicians don’t get to choose which votes they respect ... Parliamentary deadlock cannot be allowed to stop Brexit or preparing the country for the fact we will be leaving.”
