Contingency plans announced if Britain crashes out with no Brexit deal

London

THE UK government's contingency plans against a no deal Brexit have failed to allay fears of potential disruptive havoc for businesses, services and people.

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, however, insisted in a speech that he expected that there would be a deal with the European Union (EU).

"The vast majority, roughly 80 per cent, of the Withdrawal Agreement has now been agreed, and we are making further progress," he said.

Mr Raab added however, that contingency plans had to be made in case both sides could not agree to a deal. EU negotiators have stated that the announcement of the no deal plans is a ploy to get the best agreement possible for Britain.

Brexiteers, on the other hand, contend that the announcement is to condition the British public about the dangers of crashing out of the EU without a deal. By spelling out the dangers of disruption, the government hopes that the British public will accept that further concessions to the EU will have to be made.

A key example is the EU requirement of freedom of movement for people and labour.

Mr Raab disclosed that 7,000 civil servants are already working on Brexit, and that his department could hire a further 9,000 if needed.

"Our laws will be on the statute book, the staff will be in place, and our institutions will be ready for Brexit, deal or no deal," he said.

Mr Raab announced the publication of the first 25 no deal Brexit notices, in a series of some 80 contingencies and advisory documents.

"They are designed to inform people and businesses in the UK about what they may need to do, if we don't reach a deal with the EU," he said. "We set out clear steps that public institutions, companies and people should take or consider taking, in order to avoid or mitigate or manage the risk of any potential short-term disruption."

"The overarching aim of the notices is to facilitate the smooth, continued, functioning of business, transport, infrastructure, research, aid programmes and funding streams that have previously come from the EU," Mr Raab added.

The contingency notices include:

The EU has already produced 68 notices on "Brexit preparedness".