The UK has been delivered a “bitter Brexit blow” after losing two prestigious European Union agencies that provided hundreds of high-quality jobs.
London lost the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to Amsterdam, and hours later it was announced the European Banking Authority (EBA) is to be relocated from the UK capital to Paris.
Critics seized on the announcement as evidence of the destructive impact of Brexit. Former Labour Cabinet minister Lord Adonis labelled the re-locations “national self-mutilation”.
The Dutch capital won the right to host the in a crunch vote that ended in a tie against Milan - broken only by the drawing of lots, according to Reuters.
In all, 19 cities had bid for the prestige and economic boost that the arrival of the EMA’s 900 staff and many offices for international pharmaceuticals companies will bring.
Ministers went on to vote for one of eight cities hoping to host the smaller European Banking Authority (EBA), which sets rules used by the European Central Bank to carry out stress tests of the banking sector in the bloc.
Estonia’s EU minister Matti Maasikas, who was chairing the voting session, called the contest “a sad reminder of the concrete consequences of Brexit”.
Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable said: “While not surprising, these moves mark the beginning of the jobs Brexodus.
“Large private sector organisations are also considering moving to Europe and we can expect many to do so over the next few years.
“That Davis Davis suggested the UK could keep these agencies shows just how little grasp the government has of the potential consequences of Brexit.”
Despite fierce competition, the 27 EU states - minus Britain - are keen to avoid any protracted and bruising dispute over the matter as they see preserving unity as essential in facing Brexit, the biggest setback in the post-World War Two history of European integration.
“Whatever the outcome, the real winner of today’s vote is EU27. Organized and getting ready for Brexit,” EU summit chair Donald Tusk tweeted ahead of the vote.
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