Tuesday , March 19 2024

How to scare a population – the continuation of “Project Fear”

During the 2016 referendum on whether the UK should leave the EU, the public faced an onslaught of dire predictions regarding what could happen if “leave” won the vote. A mere vote to leave was meant to immediately wipe 4% off GDP, bringing about a recession and an emergency budget, result in house prices falling 18% and result in over 500,000 job losses. Hardly any of the predictions made materialised in the following two years, exposing the lies and myths of so-called “Project Fear”.

Despite this setback for the doom-mongers, after the referendum and during the Brexit negotiations the public faced another wave of “Project Fear” predictions should we leave the EU with no deal, ranging from the absurd to the downright ridiculous.

I have collated some of the best examples here.

 

British industry and the economy:

  • Industry sectors face Brexit extinction” – BBC,
  • Brexit worker issues ‘could shut offshore platforms‘” – BBC,
  • No deal Brexit fears spark warning of UK car crash” – Financial Times,
  • No-deal Brexit would trigger lengthy UK recession, warns S&P” – The Guardian,
  • Chequers Brexit plan would cost economy equivalent of £500 per head, says thinktank” – The Guardian,

 

Health and medicine:

  • Brexit: Millions of diabetes patients could be ‘seriously disadvantaged’ by insulin shortages if no deal reached” – Independent,
  • Brexit could lead to spread of infectious diseases such as super-gonorrhoea, health chief warns” – Evening Standard,

  • Pharmacists preparing to stockpile medicines and medical supplies for no-deal Brexit” – Sky News,
  • No-deal Brexit will be ‘catastrophe’ for NHS and increase risk from deadly pandemics, BMA warns” – Independent,

 

Food, drink and agriculture:

  • Food boss mocked after suggesting no deal Brexit could put BLT sandwiches at risk” – Telegraph,
  • ‘Dairy dilemma’: Brexit may lead to dairy shortage and price hikes” – Farming UK,
  • UK’s curry industry in danger as Brexit nears” – The National,
  • UK would run out of food a year from now with no-deal Brexit, NFU warns” – The Guardian,
  • Brexit could KILL 5,600 people a year by making fruit and veg unaffordable meaning their diets are no longer healthy enough, warns Oxford University researcher” – Daily Mail,
  • Brussels warns fish and chips at risk unless Britain caves to EU fishing demands” – Telegraph,
  • No-deal Brexit could lead to clean drinking water shortage” – Evening Standard,

 

The environment: 

  • No deal Brexit would make UK ‘dumping ground’ for chemicals banned in Europe, environmental groups warn” – Independent,
  • Dartmoor ponies may have to be rounded up and shot because of Brexit, say worried volunteers” – Devon Live,

 

Transportation, infrastructure and trade

  • M20 could be giant lorry park for years in event of no-deal Brexit” – The Guardian,
  • No-deal Brexit ‘could ground aircraft’” – BBC,
  • British airlines could be banned from Ireland’s airspace after Brexit, Irish prime minister warns” – Independent,
  • Eurostar trains could be BLOCKED after no-deal Brexit, French minister warns” – Daily Express
  • “A no-deal Brexit could leave Britain vulnerable to dangerous space debris” – Metro

 

Law and Order:

  • No-deal Brexit poses serious risk to public safety, say police leaders” – The Guardian,
  • Police bracing for Brexit hate crime spike against EU citizens and migrants in March” – Independent,

 

Sport and Leisure:

  • Brexit could have ‘hugely damaging’ effect on football clubs, say chairmen” – BBC,
  • “Top UK museums reveal fears of no-deal Brexit in secret memos” – Independent,

  • “No more holidays to Europe if we leave EU without a deal, MP says” – Metro,
  • “Brexit could hit British-based F1 teams and European races, say McLaren” – The Guardian

 

The constitution and very existence of the UK:

  • How a no-deal Brexit could cripple Britain” – Business Insider,
  • Cataclysm of Brexit ‘could lead to Welsh independence” – The Guardian

 

This post was originally published by the author on his personal blog: https://joelrwrites.wordpress.com/2018/11/27/how-to-scare-a-population-the-continuation-of-project-fear/

About Joel Rodrigues

Joel was born and lives in the United Kingdom, and is a geophysicist working for an oil services company. He blogs in his free time about politics, mainly concerning Brexit. He identifies mainly with conservatism and civic nationalism.

Check Also

The Peace Proposal: Shadows of Versailles

A change of seasons brings a change of perspective. With St Martin appearing on a …

One comment

  1. George

    A timely reminder of Project Fear tactics.

    The European Movement has a 3 stage method of campaigning for 2nd referendums. The first is to “discredit” major donors to the opposition (donors are always dubious on all sides), the second is to make out that the electorate had insufficient information and the third is high intensity Project Fear delivered primarily by State Media.