Irish deputy PM Simon Coveney today insisted Britain ‘can’t afford’ to leave the EU with no deal.
Mr Coveney dismissed UK threats to walk away without an agreement as ‘bravado’ – suggesting that Theresa May will have to make more concessions to Brussels.
The combative stance comes as British and Irish ministers meet to try to break the deadlock – with less than 12 weeks until the deadline for getting an outline Brexit deal.
Officials are digging in for an attritional battle over the summer after Mrs May unveiled her Chequers proposals for future trade – which would see the UK obey a ‘common rule book’ with Brussels and collect some taxes on behalf of the bloc.
Simon Coveney (pictured in Brussels last week) today dismissed UK threats to walk away without an agreement as ‘bravado’ – suggesting that Theresa May will have to make more concessions to Brussels
Theresa May (pictured in No10 last night) is also facing claims she is trying to ‘scare people witless’ with chilling warnings about the consequences of no deal so she can push through her plan for a soft departure
But Mrs May is also facing claims she is trying to ‘scare people witless’ with chilling warnings about the consequences of no deal so she can push through her plan for a soft departure.
Ministers last night confirmed that medicine was being stockpiled to ensure Britain has enough if there is a disorderly departure.
Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said that while the Government was not stockpiling food itself, it was taking steps to ensure enough would be available.
A slew of other ‘technical’ papers about the consequences of no-deal Brexit are expected to be released over the summer.
One ally of the PM told the BBC’s Newsnight: ‘We want to scare people witless so people will eventually embrace the Theresa May plan.’
Mrs May confirmed last night that she had taken personal charge of the negotiations, downgrading the role of Mr Raab and handing more powers to her aid Olly Robbins.
Under the changes unveiled by the PM, Mr Robbins’ unit in the Cabinet Office will have ‘overall responsibility for the preparation and conduct of the negotiations’.
Meanwhile, Mr Raab’s Brexit Department will be in charge of domestic planning for implementing a deal and a no-deal scenario.
Mrs May said: ‘I will lead the negotiations with the European Union, with the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union deputising on my behalf.’
Appearing before the cross-party Brexit Committee, Mr Raab was pressed on whether Mr Robbins was really in charge.
Appearing before the cross-party Brexit Committee yesterday, Dominic Raab (pictured left) played down claims he had been demoted and Mrs May’s top aide Olly Robbins (right) was really in charge
‘There is no tension between us, I think that is clear,’ he said.
More than £22 billion worth of processed food and drinks are imported in to the UK every year – 97 per cent of it from the EU.
Challenged about reports of stockpiling food by MPs on the Brexit select committee, Mr Raab said: ‘It would be wrong to describe it as the Government doing stockpiling.
What we will make sure – and of course the idea that we only get food imports into this country from one continent is not appropriate – but we will look at this issue in the round and make sure that there is adequate food supply.’
A spokesman for Mr Raab’s department said this meant giving advice to food producers rather than taking charge of stockpiling itself.
Speaking in the House of Lords, Brexit minister Lord Callanan was dismissive of food stockpiling claims.
‘I am not aware of any plans for stockpiling food. It seems to me to be a fairly ridiculous scare story,’ he said. ‘There are many countries outside of the EU that manage to feed their citizens perfectly satisfactorily without the benefit of EU processes.’
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said officials were looking at ways to stockpile drugs, medical devices and supplies.
He told the Health Select Committee that some hard-to-obtain medicines may have to be flown in to the country after Brexit Day in March next year
Mr Hancock said he was ‘confident’ a deal could be reached, but it was ‘responsible’ to prepare for a range of outcomes.
This includes working up options with industry to stockpile medical supplies if a deal cannot be reached, he told the health select committee.
‘We are seeking to avoid a no-deal Brexit, I am confident that it can be avoided,’ he said. ‘But any responsible government needs to prepare for a range of outcomes, including the unlikely scenario of a no-deal.
‘Since I have arrived in the department, I’ve asked this work to accelerate and I’ve met with industry leaders to discuss it.
‘We are working right across Government to ensure that the health sector and the industry are prepared and that people’s health will be safeguarded in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
‘This includes the chain of medical supplies, vaccines, medical devices, clinical consumables, blood products. I have asked the department to work up options for stockpiling by industry.’