Brexiteers: Don’t let plans for no deal fuel Project Fear

TORY Eurosceptics last night warned the release of Government contingency plans for no deal could be used to revive ‘Project Fear’.

Next week government departments will publish the first batch of technical notices on preparations for a collapse in the negotiations.

They will include guidance for the public and companies on practical steps to take if there is no agreement with the EU.

The first batch, signed off by Theresa May, detail contingency planning across vast swathes of the economy.

A list leaked yesterday showed it will cover flights, imports of food and animal feed, telecoms, oil and gas, nuclear power and medicines testing.

By the end of September around 84 will be released.

Last night Tory Eurosceptics said ministers must not allow the material to be abused by the opponents of Brexit.

Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith told the Mail: ‘They are putting this information out. It should have been done months ago but as it is coming out now they must rebut any attempt by any organisation to use this to fuel Project Fear.

‘The government should be out there making sure they dismiss any attempt to scaremonger’.

He added: ‘There’s no such thing as a no deal on trade because we would move to WTO terms.’

A government source said the notices will show ‘ Britain will be ready’ for Brexit whatever happens. At the Chequers summit, Eurosceptic ministers demanded more be done to prepare Britain for leaving the EU if talks collapse.

While supporting Mrs May’s proposal, some warn that without proper no deal planning, the EU will have every incentive to demand further concessions.

Last night Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt sought to clarify his warning that ‘no deal’ would be a ‘ mistake we would regret for generations’.

In an interview with ITV News on Thursday he appeared to play up the risks of no deal, saying: ‘It would be a mistake we would

‘A big mistake for Europe’

regret for generations, if we had a messy, ugly divorce, and would inevitably change British attitudes towards Europe.’

But in a Tweet sent yesterday morning he said: ‘Important not to misrepresent my words: Britain WOULD survive and prosper without a deal... but it would be a big mistake for Europe because of inevitable impact on long term partnership with UK.

‘We will only sign up to deal that respects referendum result.’

Danish finance minister Kristian Jensen gave Theresa May’s Chequers plan a guarded welcome, calling it a ‘realistic proposal for good negotiations’.

But he warned the chances of no deal were now ‘50-50’.

‘We need to go into a lot of details but I think it’s a very positive step forward and a necessary step,’ he told the Today programme.

‘I also believe that 50-50 is a very good assessment because time is running out and we need to move really fast if we’ve got to strike a deal that is positive both for the UK and EU.’

‘Every force who wants there to be a good deal needs to put in some effort in the months to come otherwise I’m afraid that time will run out.’

Hauliers have told Transport Secretary Chris Grayling they will not be able to carry goods on the Continent if there is no deal.

The Department for Transport insisted it was continuing to work on contingency plans to keep freight moving.

Other areas where ministers and officials are preparing technical notices to plan for the possibility of a no deal include customs and borders, passports, VAT, state aid, the status of EU citizens in Britain, food imports, payments to farmers, pesticides regulations and pet travel. Air services, tobacco, vehicle standards and industrial emissions are also on the leaked list.