Panic measures? Whitehall plans for no deal
Ministers have confirmed that the Government is preparing for major disruptions at UK borders, in the event that Britain leaves the EU on 29 March 2019 without a deal. Prime Minister Theresa May suggested last week that people should take “reassurance and comfort” from official plans to ensure that adequate supplies of food and medicines are maintained. The Government is also working on plans to turn a 13-mile stretch of the M20 near Dover into a giant lorry park to ease cross-channel jams. However, No. 10 denied reports that the army might be used to deliver food, fuel and medicines to the vulnerable.
Last week, the EU’S chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, stated that Brussels would never accept the proposal for the bespoke customs deal in May’s Brexit White Paper – allowing Britain to strike free-trade deals while maintaining frictionless EU trade – effectively killing off a key aspect of her Chequers plan. May cut short her holiday this week to meet France’s President Emmanuel Macron at his summer residence, Fort de Brégançon, as part of a drive to convince EU leaders to soften Brussels’ negotiating position.
What the editorials said
“Any wise government has to plan for outcomes it would not have chosen to happen,” said The Independent. Health Minister Matt Hancock has revealed, for instance, that the NHS is stockpiling medicines and blood supplies. Many companies have already started planning to protect their supply lines. All this is prudent. “However, the scale of the potential disruption should focus the minds of the UK negotiating team.” A deal with Europe is “vastly preferable to no deal”. But it’s increasingly clear that a second referendum, and a chance to reverse this whole regrettable process, would be even better.
“Judging from the hysteria,” said the Daily Mail, “anyone would think Britain was planning for war, rather than merely leaving the EU.” Soldiers drafted in to deliver essential supplies, stockpiling of drugs and food, fuel running dry – “it all sounds utterly preposterous”. Could it be that Whitehall is “using Project Fear tactics to frighten the public into backing May’s underwhelming Chequers plan”? The PM is wasting her time, said The Daily Telegraph. Grass roots Tory supporters across Britain are furious with her plan for Brexit, and the EU will never accept it. “She would do better to rethink her proposal completely.”