UK lawmakers say both sides of Brexit debate make bogus claims

[LONDON] Both sides in Britain's referendum on whether to stay in the European Union should agree an "amnesty" on misleading and bogus claims, a parliamentary report said on Friday.

The report from the Treasury Select Committee reached no conclusion on the costs and benefits of EU membership, or which way people should vote on June 23.

"The arms race of ever more lurid claims and counter-claims made by both the Leave and Remain sides is not just confusing the public," the committee's chairman Andrew Tyrie, said in a statement.

"It is impoverishing political debate." He added: "Today is the first day of the main campaign. It needs to begin with an amnesty on misleading, and at times bogus, claims. The public are thoroughly fed up with them. The public are right."

The "Vote Leave" campaign has said that leaving the EU would save Britain 350 million pounds (S$692 million) a week, money that could be spent on hospitals and schools. This was "highly misleading", the report said.

Meanwhile, those backing continued membership of the EU had created the "mistaken impression" that 3 million jobs were dependent on staying in the bloc.

REUTERS