Let them eat turnips! No Deal warning from minister

BRITONS could be forced to rely more on UK-grown vegetables such as turnips in the event of ‘No Deal’ with the EU, a senior proBrexit minister has suggested.

The minister, who asked not to be named, has told friends of fears of trade disruption and chaos at Dover if Brexit talks collapse. They said it could limit the amount of choice on supermarket shelves, forcing greater reliance on home-grown food like turnips.

The comments will be seen as a sign that warnings of ‘ No Deal’ chaos are becoming accepted by Brexit-supporting ministers. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab this week accepted he ‘ hadn’t quite understood’ how dependent the UK is on goods brought in via the DoverCalais crossing.

One Cabinet minister has proposed a ‘ Plan B’ to manage a collapse in Brexit talks. Under the proposal, which has been put to Theresa May, the UK would leave the EU in March as expected but agree to pay its membership fees until the end of 2021 and to follow Brussels rules.

This would help avoid an immediate ‘cliff edge’ exit from the EU. Crucially, it would mean the UK would be able to negotiate with Brussels for another two years.

It would also avoid the full £38billion Brexit divorce bill.

But it would not address what to do about Northern Ireland.

The PM is understood to have told the Brexiteer minister their plan ‘was not needed yet’.