PVV leader Geert Wilders has commissioned a British bureau to carry out new research into how much it would cost the Netherlands to leave the EU, the NRC reports on Tuesday.

The paper bases its claim on confidential correspondence between the PVV and London-based Capital Economics.

The correspondence shows that Capital Economics said before starting work it is ‘almost convinced’ the research will show ‘leaving the EU would benefit the Netherlands’, the NRC reported.

Funding

The correspondence also shows Wilders approved the project in June and that the expected cost is €270,000.

The party then made informal inquiries to find out if this could be paid for out of the subsidies the PVV gets to run its parliamentary operations. Parliament agreed, on the condition the PVV did not use the results of the research in political campaigning, the NRC said.

The research is likely to be completed by the end of the year.

Last year Wilders paid a British research group to look into the cost of bringing back the guilder. That report was drawn up by British research group Lombard Street Research, which is known for its euro-sceptic position.