Emergency plans for No Deal Brexit called off as exit date is pushed back six months
EMERGENCY planning for No Deal was called off today after the Brexit delay was written into law. Civil servants were reportedly told to stand down from urgent meetings meant to ensure the UK is ready to leave the EU without a deal. The move comes after the Brexit date was moved from April 12 to […]
EMERGENCY planning for No Deal was called off today after the Brexit delay was written into law.
Civil servants were reportedly told to stand down from urgent meetings meant to ensure the UK is ready to leave the EU without a deal.
The move comes after the Brexit date was moved from April 12 to October 31 following a late-night Brussels summit.
The delay was formally written into British law today after our EU ambassador wrote to top Eurocrats accepting their offer of a six-month extension.
Officials had been working around the clock to make sure Britain would not suffer if we crashed out of the EU without a withdrawal agreement.
Government sources today said the work has been put on the back burner now the cliff edge deadline has been pushed back.
A Cabinet source told The Sun: “We’re easing off on the No Deal preparations because it’s not the priority at the moment.
“But it’s not been stopped completely – we’ll still keep working on our contingency plans for all scenarios.”
According to Sky News one senior official wrote to mandarins saying: “In common with the rest of government, we have stood down our No Deal operational planning with immediate effect.”
Operation Brock, which sees part of the M20 turned into a lorry park to deal with delays at Dover, will be scrapped from tonight.
Brexiteers responded with fury at the decision to wind down the emergency plans.
Tory MP Steve Baker claimed it was driven by “sheer spite”, adding: “Officials have worked exceptionally hard to deliver our preparedness and deserve better.”
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And Crispin Blunt said the decision was a “betrayal” – hinting he could vote to trigger a snap General Election in protest.
Civil servants in some departments had been working 24 hours a day to keep Britain in a state of readiness.
The UK is still legally on course to quit the EU without a deal if the withdrawal agreement isn’t approved by October.
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