We must be prepared for all types of exit

The Prime Minister and most of Westminster may have repaired to their favoured holiday destinations, but there is to be no let up over the summer from the realities of Brexit. Nor should there be, given its importance to the future of the country. But realities are not necessarily what the public is given. The arguments have become so polarised that it is often impossible to know what is being said for effect or where the truth lies.

With less than three months left until the deadline in October for the withdrawal deal to be finalised, there is talk once again of a no-deal Brexit. For a while, such an eventuality appeared to have been ruled out, not least because there is no expectation that it would get through Parliament. Moreover, the Government seemed to have made few preparations for leaving the EU without an agreement and all that entails. The Treasury was blamed for refusing to allow money to be spent on reinforcing the borders and hiring the extra staff that would be needed to process goods imports.

But as many as 70 preparation papers setting out the implications of no deal are now to be published next month, in the depths of the holiday season when few will be paying attention. Why they were not produced while Parliament was sitting? Brexiteers who are aware of their contents say they are unremittingly gloomy and paint the worst possible picture of the prospect of leaving without an agreement. There is no indication, either, of the impact on the EU of the UK crashing out, though politicians in Britain would be well advised to be somewhat less sanguine about this. The view among hard-line Leavers that the EU will capitulate because they risk damaging themselves underestimates the propensity to self-harm inherent in the whole political project.

There has been talk recently of the need to stockpile food and medicines in case a disorderly Brexit disrupts supply chains. Yet there is a suspicion that such “shroud-waving” is designed to frighten Parliament and panic the country into accepting the bad deal that Theresa May always promised to avoid.

Of course, it is the duty of the Government to ensure that the country is prepared for all eventualities. Mrs May wants a deal and has said so often. But if we end up leaving without one, for whatever reason, and the country is not prepared, then the responsibility will lie with the Government. It has had long enough to get ready.