01 August 2019

The Guardian: UK less able to cope with hard Brexit than it was in spring, say officials

The UK is currently less able to cope with a hard Brexit than it was in the spring, with the real risk of panic-buying in the run-up to Christmas and civil disorder if the country leaves the EU without a deal on 31 October, an official document reveals.

The prime minister, Boris Johnson, has made Michael Gove responsible for “turbo-charging” Brexit planning, and on Thursday the new chancellor, Sajid Javid, announced an extra £2.1bn of funding to prepare for a no-deal exit.

But with less than 100 days to go before the autumn deadline, the Cabinet Office’s own internal analysis includes stark assessments of the potential problems ahead.

A document circulating Whitehall shows some of the government’s “reasonable worst-case scenarios” (RCWS) have changed over the summer, including those related to the supply of food and medicines. [...]

The document also echoes specific warnings made to government earlier this year, including that “demonstrations are likely to take place across the UK and may absorb significant amounts of police resource. There may also be a rise in public disorder and community tensions.”

It reiterates the likelihood that “low income groups may be disproportionately affected by price rises in utilities and services” and by “price rises...including food and fuel”.[...]

 

 

 

 

In a further blow to government attempts to downplay the possible risks of a no-deal Brexit, Sky News reported that it had obtained an official document setting out the threats to borders, the economy, security, data, Northern Ireland and individuals in the month after crashing out.

 

It said the slide – which covers the risks on the first day, first fortnight and first month of no deal – was prepared in the final weeks of Theresa May’s government and appeared to be the first time all the worst-case scenarios had been set out in a single document. [...]

Full article on The Guardian

 

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