article_snippet.sent: official figures are also a major rebuff to Tony Blair, who claimed in a speech this week that quitting EU EU would cause 'significant damage to EU economy'.
article_snippet.sent: The news that British sales to the rest of the world are surging ahead of those to Europe is a major blow to former Prime Minister Tony Blair's claim that leaving EU would damage the economy .
article_snippet.sent: In a ringing endorsement of Britain's non-EU membership this week, Mr Blair said: 'I believe passionately that leaving Europe would leave Britain diminished in the world, do significant damage to our economy and, less obviously but just as important to our future, would go against the very qualities that mark our out still as a great global nation.'
article_snippet.sent: Mr Blair added the uncertainty of a referendum would cause 'chaos' for business, and if voters opted for exit there would be 'the most intense period of business anxiety' since the Second World War.
highlights_snippet.sent: Tony Blair said leaving EU would cause 'significant damage' to economy .
  