Theresa May: Don't worry about food and drugs running out in event of no-deal Brexit

Theresa May today told the country “not to worry” about emergency plans in the event of a no-deal Brexit
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Theresa May today told the country “not to worry” about emergency plans to secure food supplies and medicines in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

The Prime Minister said the Government was working round the clock for “every eventuality”.

Mrs May told 5 News: “Far from being worried about preparations that we’re making, I would say that people should take reassurance and comfort from the fact that the Government is saying that we’re in a negotiation working for a good deal.

“I believe we can get a good deal ... but let’s prepare for every eventuality.”

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said he was working to ensure “there is adequate food supply” if Britain crashes out of the EU.

Dominic Raab said he was working to ensure “there is adequate food supply” if Britain crashes out of the EU
PA

Mrs May’s comments came as the possibility was raised that Britain could be offered extra time to strike a trade deal to avoid the economic havoc of crashing out of the EU.

EU leaders believe key elements of her Chequers blueprint might severely undermine the single market and customs union and therefore be unacceptable, raising the risk of “no deal”.

The Irish deputy prime minister suggested that the two-year Article 50 process for the UK to splinter away from the EU could be extended beyond the deadline in eight months.

“If Britain asks for more time, and if that is necessary to get to a sensible agreement, well then we would support that, of course we would,” Simon Coveney said.

After the summer recess, Brexit is set to reach boiling point as the UK and EU attempt to finalise deals on the divorce settlement and the outline of a future trade arrangement. Negotiators will spend the intervening period trying to find compromises to win support for Mrs May’s proposals.

Mr Coveney, who is also Ireland’s foreign minister, cast doubts on whether a core plank of the Chequers plan — for close ties with the EU on the trade in goods but not services — would be agreed by Brussels.

“It will be difficult to separate goods and services,” he told BBC radio. “If you look at a car, a large part of that is services as well as the physical components which are goods.”

He also dismissed Mrs May’s proposed “facilitated” customs arrangement as “complex”, as it would involve the collection of different levels of tariffs, with questions over enforcement, supervision and dispute resolution.

Mr Coveney dismissed much of the talk of the UK crashing out of the EU as “bravado”, adding: “The truth is that I don’t believe Britain can afford to have no deal on Brexit.”

A No 10 spokesman said: “We will not extend Article 50.”

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