Damian Green condemned hard Brexiteers who refuse to accept evidence today.
The Prime Minister’s disgraced former deputy denied there was a ‘conspiracy’ to thwart Brexit inside the Civil Service.
Mr Green, who resigned shortly before Christmas after making misleading claims about porn allegations against him, chaired most Brexit cabinet sub-committees in his old job.
He warned Brexiteer colleagues that if they believed Civil Servants were working against them instead of working rationally, they would end up pursuing ‘faith based’ policy.
Damian Green (file image) condemned hard Brexiteers who refuse to accept evidence today in his first interview since resigning in disgrace last year
Mr Green’s claims are likely to enrage Brexiteer MPs and ministers suspicious of Government mandarins they believe to be firmly pro-Remain.
Leaked assessments on the economy impact of Brexit caused a major row last month. Brexit minister Steve Baker was forced to apologise to the Commons after suggesting Civil Servants were not being impartial.
Mr Green was interviewed for BBC Radio 4’s Ministry of Leave programme that broadcasts tonight at 8pm.
He said: ‘I do reject all the conspiracy theories that suggest there’s some sort of plot inside the official machine to thwart the will of the people.
‘There’s a great problem of politicians who won’t accept evidence.
‘We can all argue about economic forecasts and none of them are 100 per cent accurate but you have to rely on them and if you reject evidence you don’t like then you are likely to end up producing faith based policies.’
Brexit minister Steve Baker (file image) was forced to apologise to the Commons after suggesting Civil Servants were not being impartial
Mr Green added: ‘If analysis is being produced then publish it. And frankly there will be a big political debate it.
‘Let’s have this argument in public, that’s what democracies do.’
Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood (file image) runs the Civil Service and has defended his staff
Asked whether some of his former cabinet colleagues were resistant to the facts and evidence, he replied ‘not so much former cabinet colleagues’.
But he added: ‘I think there are politicians who would prefer not to have the evidence there.’
Best for Britain supporter and Labour MP Madeleine Moon said: ‘I think I can safely say this is the first time I have totally agreed with Damian Green.
‘It’s sad to see that it takes, rightly, being sacked to voice an interest in the best interest of the country and its workers.
‘It is vital that people have as much information as possible before we have the final vote.
‘So much misinformation was around during the referendum campaign now is the time to clearly set out the consequences for staying or leaving.’