Minister: I fear French will try to cripple British ports
A FLOTILLA of ships would be chartered to bring food and medicine into the country in the event of a no-deal Brexit under plans being considered in Whitehall.
Cabinet ministers were warned yesterday that the route between Dover and Calais could come to a standstill if extra customs controls are imposed on the French side.
They heard that it could run at as little as 12 per cent of its normal capacity. As a result, it was claimed yesterday, civil servants have been exploring the possibility of bringing vital supplies into other less busy ports.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling is said to have discussed the idea of chartering the vessels to bring in critical stocks of food, medicine or car parts.
It came as David Lidington, Theresa May’s de facto deputy, warned ministers at a stormy Cabinet meeting that they must do all they can to secure a Brexit deal to avoid a repeat of the chaos of Black Wednesday in 1992, when Sterling was withdrawn from the European Exchange Mechanism.
Mrs May was challenged at the meeting by several ministers to be firm in talks so that Britain does not remain in a customs union indefinitely.
Geoffrey Cox, the Attorney General, said the country could not afford to be trapped in an arrangement like Dante’s ‘first circle of hell’.
The meeting was overshadowed by divisions on how far the UK should be willing to compromise over a backstop plan – to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland – in order to make sure a Brexit deal is agreed.
Downing Street said ministers had held ‘an impassioned’ discussion. At least half a dozen ministers – including Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Environment Secretary Michael Gove – warned that the country must avoid being trapped in a backstop arrangement or extended transition.
Mr Lidington, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said that under a no-deal Brexit, the DoverCalais route could be running at just 12 to 25 per cent of its normal capacity for up to six months.
It was reported that plans to charter vessels to bring in vital supplies to other ports such as the Port of London, Tilbury and Liverpool would operate under a scheme called GOOL, or Government Owned or Operated Logistics. Three options are reportedly being examined – buying ships, leasing them or converting military vessels.
Downing Street last night declined to comment on the plans. But a Department for Transport spokesman said: ‘We remain confident of reaching an agreement with the EU, but it is only sensible for government and industry to prepare for a range of scenarios.
‘We are continuing to work closely with partners on contingency plans to ensure that trade can continue to move as freely as possible between the UK and Europe.’
The Prime Minister will today face down her critics at a meeting of the backbench 1922 Committee, just days after an anonymous MP suggested she should ‘bring her own noose’ to the gathering.
The Prime Minister will make a plea for unity and urge her colleagues to get behind her at a critical point in Brexit negotiations. Last night it appeared a series of briefings by unnamed backbenchers at the weekend calling for her to be ‘knifed’ had backfired and led MPs to rally behind her.
International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, a prominent Leave campaigner in the referendum, warned it would be a mistake for MPs to move against the Prime Minister at such a crucial moment. He told Sky News: ‘We are in a process of negotiation. It would seem to be an act of utter folly to change the Prime Minister at this point.’
Andrew Mitchell, an ally of former Brexit Secretary David Davis who is seen as a possible leadership contender, also said a challenge would be a ‘mistake’.
‘I think it is right to give the Prime Minister every support to conclude a deal,’ he told the BBC.
And one of Mrs May’s fiercest critics, Andrew Bridgen, was forced to deny he was behind any of the lurid quotes about ousting her.
The MP, one of the first to announce he had submitted a letter of no confidence in the Prime Minister in July, admitted he had done it simply to ‘raise the stakes’ rather than see her removed.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘I did it publicly to put pressure on the Prime Minister to move her political position.’
Asked if he was the source of quotes at the weekend about knif-
‘Sensible to prepare for a range of scenarios’ ‘Put pressure on the Prime Minister’
ing Mrs May, he said: ‘It’s not me. I have no idea who it was. I don’t normally hide behind anonymous quotes. I think these sorts of comments are unproductive.’
Meanwhile, a damning report will today warn that foreign criminals and terrorists will find it easier to sneak into the UK if there is a ‘no deal’ Brexit.
The National Audit Office spending watchdog said border security would be ‘weakened’, with organised crime gangs aiming to exploit any gaps.
Britain has been threatened with being axed from the crossborder Europol agency as well as losing crime-fighting tools such as the European Arrest Warrant and DNA, fingerprint and vehicle databases.
The 52-page report into the UK border post-Brexit said: ‘Organised criminals and others are likely to be quick to exploit any perceived weaknesses or gaps in the enforcement regime.
‘This, combined with the UK’s potential loss of access to EU security, law enforcement and criminal justice tools, could create security weaknesses which the Government would need to address urgently.’