No-deal Brexit will be agonising here too

AS Brexit day approaches and the prospect of a no-deal withdrawal still dominates politics in the United Kingdom, the warnings from major companies pile up by the hour. Already, Jaguar Land Rover and Nissan have announced plans to scale back car production in England. Ford has warned of dire implications for its manufacturing operations there too, while plane-maker Airbus has said it might have to look again at the assembly plants that make wings and other parts that are shipped to France for final assembly.

While the focus to date has been on industry and jobs, there is mounting criticism from the catering and grocery sectors, with bosses warning that they simply cannot stockpile the likes of fresh fruit and vegetables, while supply chains of all products, fresh or not, potentially will be impeded by long delays at ports.

The latest to weigh in was Tesco chairman John Allan, who bluntly said yesterday: ‘Provided we are all happy to live on Spam and canned peaches, all will be well.’

It was a reminder that a no-deal exit will be catastrophic for the UK, and for Ireland too. Undoing 46 years of EU membership was never going to be easy, even with a favourable deal; with none in place, it will be agonising.

Sadly, politicians of all hues across the water are using the Brexit issue to advance their own agendas, at the expense of what best suits their country and its people, and history will judge them very harshly for it.

Leaving with no deal is in no one’s interest, except those wishing to foment chaos for its own sake. All sides must now work together to get the Withdrawal Agreement across the line. There is no other option and time is running out.

Despite what hardline Brexiteers might say in public, no one wants to live on canned peaches and Spam.