Ministers have reportedly been ordered to start preparing “no deal” Brexit measures after Dominic Raab’s last-gasp talks with Michel Barnier fell flat.
The Brexit secretary made a dramatic, unscheduled visit to Brussels to thrash out terms with Mr Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator.
But they fell flat after just an hour, jeopardising Prime Minister Theresa May’s chances of achieving a deal at Wednesday’s key EU summit.
The Times reported top civil servants have warned ministers that regardless of what happens this week, the government’s contingency plans for Britain crashing out of the EU without a deal agreed must start being put in place.
The paper reported this will include stockpiling medicines and telling businesses to begin registering for new customs processes.
After Mr Raab’s failed efforts, the government said there were still "unresolved issues" relating to the Northern Ireland backstop – but it “remained committed to making progress at the European Council meeting.”
But Ms May’s leadership is under renewed pressure following a weekend in which David Davis, Mr Raab’s predecessor, called for Cabinet mutiny and former foreign secretary Boris Johnson – widely seen as angling for Ms May’s job – repeated his calls to “chuck” her Chequers plan for Brexit.
And Mr Johnson was at it again on Monday, writing in his Telegraph column: “The EU is treating us with naked contempt."
The Prime Minister's critics believe the threshold of 48 Tory MPs calling for a no-confidence vote could be passed by Wednesday, depending on events in Brussels.
Allies of Mr Davis said he has been contacted by several Tory MPs urging him to run for the leadership and he is understood to be prepared to take part in a contest.
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Later today, Nigel Farage is due to go on a Leave Means Leave walkabout and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon is to give a speech warning MPs should not be "railroaded" into accepting a bad or blindfold deal on Brexit on the grounds that no deal would be catastrophic.
