Government Announce Another £2.1bn To Prepare For No-Deal Brexit

1 August 2019, 07:11

More than £2 billion has been set aside to prepare for a no-deal Brexit, as Boris Johnson prepares to chair his first exit strategy meeting.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid announced on Wednesday that the funding includes £1.1 billion for departments and the devolved administrations to spend immediately, with a further £1 billion in reserve.

The new figure includes plans to stop the UK running out of food and medicine.

Mr Johnson will chair a meeting of the XS (exit strategy) committee on Thursday after the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove chaired the first meeting on Monday.

Mr Javid said the money will ensure the UK is ready to leave the European Union "deal or no deal".

However, Labour's shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, called the funds an "appalling waste of tax-payers' cash".

Mr McDonnell added: "All for the sake of Boris Johnson's drive towards a totally avoidable no-deal.

"This government could have ruled out no-deal and spent these billions on our schools, hospitals and people.

"Labour is a party for the whole of the UK, so we'll do all we can to block a no-deal, crash-out Brexit - and we'll deliver a transformative economic policy that delivers for the many, not the few."