Army on standby for Brexit chaos

Troops will deliver food, medicine and fuel if Britain crashes out of EU without a deal as supermarkets issue warning to stockpile

LONDON: Ministers have contemplated using the Army to deliver food and medical supplies if Britain crashes out of the European Union with ‘no deal’.

Plans have been drawn to use helicopters and Army trucks to take supplies to vulnerable people outside the south east who might need medicine, Daily Mail reported on Sunday.

The startling revelations will provoke fresh claims from Brexiteers that the government is scaremongering over a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

Supermarkets have also warned suppliers to start stockpiling fuel, food and medicine

A Ministry of Defence source acknowledged there was ‘a blueprint for us supporting the civilian authorities’, but said there was ‘no formal request’ to supply aid. Ministers have repeatedly played down the risk of shortages in the event of a sudden hard Brexit next March. There are fears a no deal Brexit could stop imports of food and other supplies, like medicine, to UK.

Last week Brexit secretary Dominic Raab insisted there would be adequate food supplies. Asked if the Government was considering stockpiling food to cope with a ‘no deal’ Brexit, Raab said: “It would be wrong to describe it as the Government doing stockpiling. “What we will make sure — and of course the idea that we only get food imports into this country from one continent is not appropriate — but we will look at this issue in the round and make sure that there is adequate food supply.”

In an interview with 5 News on Wednesday, Prime Minister Theresa May did not deny stockpiling is happening. But she insisted the Government is being ‘responsible and sensible’ while still trying to get a good deal with the European Union.

May said: “Far from being worried about preparations that we are making, people should take reassurance and comfort from the fact the Government is saying we are in a negotiation, we are working for a good deal — I believe we can get a good deal — but... as we don’t know what the outcome is going to be... let’s prepare for every eventuality.”