Off the Record

Off The Record finally got a peek at the plans being put in place by emergency planners to deal with the ramifications on the county of a no-deal Brexit.

A very minor peek, too - and not even anything that was committed to paper, though a document does exist.

There has been some criticism of the lack of transparency around the plans being put in place by the Kent Resilience Forum, the group responsible for managing and implementing the plans should they be needed.

KCC has tried to get a consensus around publishing the report - or at least a summary - but sources tell us that certain partners in the forum have been dead set against anything seeing the light of day that may spread fear and panic. As if.

n What we did learn was that Brexit has meant KCC buying in bulk….. more than 1,000 road signs.

Why? In the event of the potential for traffic chaos and disruption, there will be an awful lot of diversions in place to limit traffic getting stuck in queues.

The good news is that the order for the signs went to Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) the Kentbased national charity supporting the Armed Forces, people with disabilities and people who are unemployed.

n Uncertainty over Brexit may be fuelling uncertainty among businesses but it has seen a boost for bookmakers - who are offering odds on an increasingly eclectic range of outcomes.

Amid fears over traffic chaos and cross-channel links grinding to a halt, Paddy Power is offering 10-1 on trains not to run through the Channel Tunnel for seven consecutive days or more in 2019.

And amid reports that the Queen may be evacuated from London in the event of post-brexit disorder, Ireland seems to be the pick of the odds for her place of sanctuary at 22-1.

And even though relationships between America and North Korea may have thawed, it’s unlikely the Queen will seek refuge in the Communist state - the odds of that happening are 500-1.

For those gloomy about the UK’S prospects after Brexit - should it ever happen, of course - the odds on food rationing being brought in are sitting at 12-1.

n For all the lastest on Kent politics follow Paul on Twitter @ Paulonpolitics