Bracing for a bleak Brexit

Britain could face a jump in public disorder, delays at airports and ports and significant rises in electricity prices in the event of a no-deal Brexit, government planning documents released yesterday confirmed.

Operation Yellowhammer, the ‘‘reasonable worst-case planning assumptions’’ for the UK leaving the EU without a deal, also warned of shortages of some foods and delays in importing medicines.

The five-page document, released at the behest of the House of Commons, is almost identical to one leaked to The

last month.

At the time, Michael Gove, the minister overseeing no-deal planning, claimed that it was ‘‘an old document’’, adding that ‘‘since it was published and circulated, the government have taken significant additional steps to ensure we are prepared to leave on October 31, deal or no-deal’’.

Yesterday Gove wrote to Dominic Grieve, the former Conservative MP who led the charge to get the document released, that it was the ‘‘most recent complete iteration’’ of the government’s ‘‘planning assumptions’’ for a ‘‘reasonable worst-case scenario’’.

The document released yesterday was dated August 2, just over a week after Boris Johnson became prime minister. The version leaked last month described its contents as a ‘‘base scenario’’ but the heading on yesterday’s release was ‘‘reasonable worstcase planning assumptions’’.

Sam Gyimah, the former education minister who was one of 21 Tory rebels who had the whip withdrawn, tweeted: ‘‘The leaked document wasn’t out of date. This isn’t project fear.

‘‘It is a sober assessment of what could happen. No-deal is not ‘vanishingly inexpensive’ or a ‘bump in the road’.

‘‘This is only a part of the chaos and long-term damage our country would suffer. We must stop this.’’

Labour said that the document released ‘‘confirms the severe risks of a no-deal Brexit’’. Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, said: ‘‘It is completely irresponsible for the government to have tried to ignore these stark warnings and prevent the public from seeing the evidence.

‘‘Boris Johnson must now admit he has been dishonest with the British people about the consequence of a no-deal Brexit. It is also now more important than ever that parliament is recalled and has the opportunity to scrutinise these documents and take all steps necessary to stop no-deal.’’

Lisa Nandy, one of the Labour MPs more open to backing a Brexit deal, said: ‘‘Whichever way you read this document, no responsible government would consider doing this.’’

‘‘No-deal is not ‘vanishingly inexpensive’ or a ‘bump in the road’. This is only a part of the chaos and longterm damage our country would suffer. We must stop this.’’ Sam Gyimah, Tory rebel