Britain will face shortages of fuel, food and medicine if it leaves the European Union without a transition deal, according to leaked official documents reported by the Sunday Times whose interpretation was immediately contested by ministers.
“This is not Project Fear—this is the most realistic assessment of what the public face with no deal. These are likely, basic, reasonable scenarios—not the worst case,” a senior government source told the Sunday Times.
MEDICAL SUPPLIES COMING FROM EU WILL BE EFFECTED
The United Kingdom would likely face food, fuel and medicine shortages if it crashes out of the bloc without a transition deal, according to the forecasts compiled by the Cabinet Office under the code name “Operation Yellowhammer.”
Medical supplies coming from Europe will be “vulnerable to severe extended delays,” and the availability of fresh food will be reduced, causing prices to rise, the newspaper reported. It added that the public and businesses remain largely unprepared for a no-deal Brexit, and that growing “EU exit fatigue” had hampered contingency planning.
The Times said up to 85% of lorries using the main Channel crossings may not be ready for French customs, meaning disruption at ports would potentially last up to three months before the flow of traffic improved.