UK Government set to publish 'no deal' hard Brexit contingency plans

The Government will today publish a tranche of documents laying out how the UK will cope with a no-deal Brexit.

Ministers will release the first batch of around 70 technical notices offering advice to business, public bodies and the public on how best to prepare for the possibility of Britain leaving the EU without a deal.

They claim the plans will tackle the "hair raising scare stories" around a hard Brexit, but Scotland's Brexit Secretary Michael Russell said such a scenario would be "deeply damaging" to the UK, while Labour accused the Government of "dangerous rhetoric" and urged ministers to focus on ensuring a pact is struck with Brussels.

The plans come as a KPMG survey revealed more than half the public was braced for the UK to crash out of the bloc without a future agreement - with two thirds saying they would change their spending habits if so.

The Government has ramped up its preparations for a no-deal Brexit in recent weeks as negotiations look set to go down to the wire ahead of the March 2019 exit date.

Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab will unveil the documents today and insist ministers are taking the "responsible" approach to the future of the country.

In a speech in Westminster, he will say the papers are "a sensible, measured, and proportionate approach to minimising the impact of no-deal on British firms, citizens, charities and public bodies".

“Our overarching aim is to facilitate the smooth continued, functioning of business, transport, infrastructure, research, aid programmes and funding streams."

Mr Raab hinted that the UK would remain closely aligned to EU rules in a bid to help manage the uncertainty that could result from a no-deal scenario - but could deviate later down the line. 

“In some cases, it means taking unilateral action to maintain as much continuity as possible in the short term, in the event of no-deal - irrespective of whether the EU reciprocates," he explained.

“Of course, while we may take that approach in the short-term, we will be outside the EU, and free to diverge when we are ready, on our terms, in the UK national interest, and when it’s right for the UK people.”

Speaking ahead of the publication, Russell said Raab should "rule out" a no deal Brexit.

"A no deal Brexit would be deeply damaging and disruptive for Scotland, the rest of the UK and the EU. Indeed, it has been described as a "cliff-edge scenario" by the European Commission.

"It is therefore time for the UK government to immediately rule it out and accept the Scottish government's strong case, if Brexit goes ahead, for remaining within the European single market and customs union."

Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer lashed out at the papers, arging the Government was being "irresponsible" in playing down the risks.

“If the publication of these documents is just a crude attempt by ministers to dress up the severe consequences of a no-deal Brexit as somehow acceptable, the whole exercise will be pointless,” he said.

“A no-deal Brexit would be a complete failure by the Government to negotiate for Britain. These documents should not distract us from that.”

He added: “No-deal would be catastrophic for people’s jobs, the economy and for the border in Northern Ireland. It is irresponsible for anyone to casualise no-deal.

“With time running out in the negotiations, Labour urges the Government to drop the dangerous rhetoric and priorities securing a final Brexit deal that puts jobs and the economy first.”