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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Ben Quinn

Public spending watchdog to investigate ‘festival of Brexit’

Brexit Festival of Brexit NAO Martin Green
One of the Unboxed attractions is See Monster, a decommissioned offshore rig, at Weston-super-Mare.
One of the Unboxed attractions is See Monster, a decommissioned offshore rig, at Weston-super-Mare. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA

It was Jacob Rees-Mogg who christened it a festival of Brexit – a moniker that might well have cursed it from the beginning.

Announced by Theresa May in the aftermath of Britain’s referendum on EU membership, and supposedly inspired by the 1851 Great Exhibition and 1951’s Festival of Britain, the then prime minister heralded a programme of events to be held this year to “showcase what makes our country great today”.

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