BREXIT CHAOS LIKELY

FRANCE’S government is firming up plans for a chaotic Brexit, as its Europe minister warns that Britain is likely to crash out of the European Union without a deal.

France’s junior minister for European affairs, Aurelie de Montchalin, said on BFM television yesterday that “given how things are going, it’s probable” that Britain will leave October 31 with no plans for how to handle trade, travel and cross-border business the next morning.

She said “we are talking all the time” with British counterparts about Brexit, and that the withdrawal agreement negotiated with the EU remains “on the table”.

She wouldn’t comment on British PM Boris Johnson’s move this week to suspend parliament until mid-October.

French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner met Thursday with his British counterpart and said “it’s fundamental to maintain tight cooperation with the UK” despite Brexit, especially on fighting terrorism and managing migration.

British government minister Michael Gove is visiting the French port of Calais with France’s Customs minister to study Brexit preparations.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is defending his government’s decision to suspend parliament and says the move has nothing to do with preventing politicians from debating the country’s exit from the European Union.

At a meeting yesterday with his EU counterparts in Finland, Mr Raab said that “the idea that this is some kind of constitutional outrage is nonsense. It’s actually lawful. It’s perfectly proper. There’s precedent for it.”

Other EU foreign ministers expressed concern that a potentially damaging and very costly UK exit from the bloc without an agreement now appears more likely.