Watchdog queries affect of £46m ‘Get Prepared for Brexit’ marketing campaign

A multi-million pound publicity blitz to arrange the general public for leaving the EU seems to have had little affect, a spending watchdog has mentioned.

The Nationwide Audit Workplace mentioned £46m was spent on the “Prepare for Brexit” marketing campaign forward of the UK’s anticipated departure on the finish of final October.

However the marketing campaign was halted three days earlier than the UK was supposed to go away after the EU granted one other extension.

The NAO mentioned it was “not clear” it left folks “considerably higher ready”.

However the Cupboard Workplace, which is answerable for Brexit preparations, mentioned to haven’t performed something within the run-up to the 31 October deadline would have risked “important and pointless disruption”.

The division estimated the marketing campaign reached had 99.8% of the inhabitants, with each member of the general public having the chance to see the vary of billboard, print, TV and on-line adverts 55 instances.

The publicity drive was ordered by Boris Johnson after he turned prime minister final July, along with his “do or die” promise to go away by 31 October.

It ran for almost two months earlier than being halted on 28 October – after the PM was pressured by Parliament to request an additional three-month delay.

The marketing campaign inspired folks and companies to go to the government’s main gov.uk website to reply questions and obtain recommendation on making ready for the UK’s exit from the bloc.

Amongst these particularly focused have been British residents who have been aspiring to journey to Europe within the days and weeks after Brexit and companies that exported to the EU.

‘Danger of disruption’

The watchdog mentioned the numbers of individuals on the lookout for details about Brexit didn’t notably change because of this – starting from 32% and 37% in the course of the marketing campaign, to 34% when it stopped.

“At brief discover, the Cupboard Workplace efficiently corralled a number of authorities departments to work collectively successfully and launched this complicated marketing campaign at nice pace,” mentioned the NAO’s chief govt, Gareth Davies.

“Nevertheless, it’s not clear that the marketing campaign resulted within the public being considerably higher ready.”

In response, the federal government mentioned the watchdog had acknowledged the marketing campaign elevated public consciousness of the motion they wanted to take to be prepared to go away the EU.

“Not endeavor the marketing campaign would have risked important and pointless disruption to companies and to folks’s lives,” the Cupboard Workplace mentioned.

The UK will go away the EU at 23.00 GMT on Friday 31 January. It can proceed to observe EU guidelines till the tip of 2020 beneath the phrases of an 11-month transition interval.