Brexit will blow £59bn hole in public finances, admits Hammond
Chancellor attempts to strike cautiously upbeat tone but OBR warns of extra borrowing over next five years
Philip Hammond conceded that Brexit will blow a 59bn black hole in the public finances over the next five years, as he outlined plans to boost investment in infrastructure and housing to equip the UK economy for life outside the EU.
In his first fiscal statement, the chancellor, who had supported remain, sought to strike a cautiously upbeat tone about the country's prospects, saying the economy had "confounded commentators at home and abroad with its strength and its resilience" since the referendum result last June.
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