EasyJet would not exist were it not for the EU’s single market, according to one of a series of government reports on the UK’s relationship with the rest of Europe.
According to the Guardian, the low-cost airline told the review: “EasyJet is a product of the EU’s deregulation of Europe’s aviation market. Without deregulation we would not exist.”
The release of the eight documents has drawn criticism because Downing Street had issued an instruction earlier this week to every government department to hold back on any non-urgent announcements that are unrelated to the floods across Britain, according to the newspaper.
Labour backbencher Mike Gapes said the government was using the floods crisis to “sneak” out reports which hail the benefits of the EU.
Foreign secretary William Hague will publish the reports in the latest instalment of the government’s “balance of competences” review.
Praise for the single market is made in one of eight reports compiled by civil servants, covering investment; the single market in goods; transport; environment; civil justice; asylum and immigration from outside the EU; culture media and sport; and research and development.