Johnson tells civil servants to make no-deal a top priority
Boris Johnson has told civil servants that preparing for a no-deal Brexit should be their “top priority” – and insisted the UK will be leaving the EU on 31 October “whatever the circumstances.”
The Prime Minister told government staff they must be ready to “engage and communicate” clearly what the plans for Brexit will mean.
It came after Jeremy Corbyn had urged the UK’S top civil servant to intervene to prevent a no-deal Brexit happening during a general election campaign.
“Preparing urgently and rapidly for the possibility of an exit without a deal will be my top priority, and it will be the top priority for the Civil Service too,” the letter states.
The current situation is that the UK will leave the EU on 31 October whether it has agreed a new deal or not, but opposition MPS are seeking to block a no-deal Brexit taking place amid concerns over the impact on the economy.
Mr Johnson adds: “My approach to Brexit is simple,andiwantyoutobein no doubt about it.
“We must restore trust in our democracy, and fulfil the repeated promises of Parliament to the people, by coming out of the European Union on 31 October. We will be leaving on this date, whatever the circumstances.
“I would very much prefer to leave with a deal – one that must abolish the anti-democratic Irish backstop, which has unacceptable consequences for our country. But I recognise that may not happen.”
In a letter to Sir Mark Sedwill, Mr Corbyn voiced fears that the government may seek to implement a no-deal after having lost a vote of confidence in the Commons.
He asked Sir Mark to confirm that if the UK is due to leave the EU without a deal while an election is under way, the government should seek another time-limited extension to Article 50 to allow the voters to decide.
“A Labour government will never support a no-deal exit,” Mr Corbyn said.