‘I am a professor of economics’: Green MEP hits back at Brexit Party MEP who accused her of having no expertise to comment on ‘cliff edge’ ‘Obviously you haven’t been paying much attention to my CV because I was and I remain a professor of economics’

Green MEP Molly Scott Cato prompted laughter in the European Parliament with her response to a Brexit Party colleague who challenged her assertion that there will be a Brexit cliff edge when she did not have “a degree in economics.”

Robert Rowland, who is an MEP for the South West of England, was challenging the Green Party MEP, when she abruptly corrected him, which provoked laughter in the chamber, as she revealed she is in fact a lecturer in the subject.

He asked her: “I just like to ask Ms Scott-Cato what empirical proof she has that the end of the transition period when we will be leaving the European Union, hopefully on a Canada plus style trade deal, will result in a cliff edge, when as far as I’m aware, she does not have any degree in economics or maybe she has some business experience that will give some empirical proof that would be the case.

The i politics newsletter cut through the noise Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription.

“So I was wondering whether you could answer that question why you’re so certain that the United Kingdom will suffer as a result…”

The MEP replied: “Obviously you haven’t been paying much attention to my CV because I was and I remain a professor of economics.”

‘I also have expertise in trade policy’

After laughter subsided she added: “I also have expertise in trade policy and have been studying the trade negotiations from the beginning. I rely on the expertise of other trade experts, all of whom have said it takes much longer than the time available to negotiate a treaty.

“And the likelihood is, if we go ahead with Boris Johnson’ deal, we will end up in exactly the same crisis facing a no-deal Brexit at the end of 2020.”

“I think Mr Rowland stands corrected,” added Mairead McGuinness, the Vice-President of the European Parliament who was chairing the debate.

In her declaration of financial interests, Ms Scott Cato includes her role as a professor. Prior to being elected as an MEP she was Professor of Green Economics at Roehampton University and sits on the Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.

The Brexit Party came first in the in European elections in May gaining 29 seats in the Strasbourg hemicycle, with the Greens increasing their MEPs by 4 seats taking their seats to seven.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is promising that the UK will conclude trade negotiations with the EU by the end of 2020 if the next parliament which will take shape after the 12 December general election, ratifies his withdrawal agreement.

Ms Scott Cato is standing as MP in Stroud, where the Liberal Democrats are standing aside under the Unite to Remain pact.