James Dyson Accused Of Being 'Shockingly Reckless' Over Latest Brexit Comments

No deal would 'hurt EU more than UK', billionaire inventor says.
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Leaving the EU without a trading deal would harm the Continent more than Britain, Sir James Dyson has claimed.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4 on Thursday, the tech billionaire appeared to support a so-called ‘hard Brexit’ where the UK leaves the bloc without securing trading rights.

He told the Today programme: “I suspect that we’ll have to leave without a deal and that we’ll trade under [World Trade Organisation] regulations, which frankly are going to hurt the Europeans more than the British.”

"I suspect we'll have to leave without a deal... which frankly will hurt the Europeans more than the British," says Sir James Dyson #Brexit pic.twitter.com/Dtuahr3quH

— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) September 14, 2017

“Britain is putting forward very positive suggestions and they are not being reciprocated by the other side. But that doesn’t particularly surprise me,” he said.

Asked if a hard Brexit would hurt his own business, Dyson added: “Not at all actually. We already pay the WTO tariff into Europe and it hasn’t hurt us at all. We’re one of the fastest growing companies in Europe.”

But his comments drew fierce reaction from people online.

James Dyson is shockingly reckless with the national economy - "uncertainty is opportunity" channeling the Joker. #BBCR4today

— Rupert Myers (@RupertMyers) September 14, 2017

James Dyson, "we'll have to leave without a deal". Okay for you with your billions but not for the ordinary who were lied to #r4today

— Shahil Parmar (@shahil95) September 14, 2017

James Dyson on #r4today talking about leaving the EU without a deal. Just because that works for HIS business doesn’t mean it works for all.

— Damon Evans (@damocrat) September 14, 2017

While others mentioned Dyson’s decision to offshore manufacturing jobs from the UK to elsewhere a decade ago.

James Dyson - the billionaire "patriot" who moved his manufacturing to Malaysia, where minimum wage is ~£180 a MONTH. #r4today

— Kevin Dunn (@Adeodatus) September 14, 2017

The firm continues to employ an estimated 5,000 people in hi-tech roles in the UK.

But while leaving the bloc without a trading deal may not hurt Dyson’s business, he may lose money in other ways.

As one of Britain’s biggest farm owners, Dyson reportedly receives millions in agriculture grants from the EU.

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