Philip Hammond’s attempt to explain how the Brexit process would happen backfired today after making “inadvertently revealing” about his wealth.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4′s Today programme, the chancellor deployed an analogy to explain why the UK needed to transition out of the EU gradually, perhaps over a four year period, rather than drop off a “cliff edge”.
Hammond campaigned for ‘Remain’ and said while Brexit will happen, it needed to be managed properly to avoid damaging businesses.
“We will have left the EU and I think what people will expect us to do is put in place arrangements to then move from where we were when we were members to where were are going to be in a longterm future partnership,” he said.
Hammond explained: “When you buy a house you don’t necessarily move all your furniture in on the first day you buy it.”
It was pointed out to the chancellor that this is exactly what most people do.