No-deal Brexit funding plan provokes angry response

Plans made public to 'get people to take it seriously'

Britain's opposition Labour Party has reacted angrily to the government's announcement of 2.1 billion pounds ($2.5 billion) of funding for measures such as medicine stockpiling and a public awareness campaign in the eventuality of a no-deal Brexit departure from the European Union on Oct 31.

The funding is reportedly meant to send a signal to Europe that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government is serious about walking away from the 28-member trading bloc without a deal, if one cannot be agreed in time.

The Guardian newspaper also claimed measures were being made public because of concern business was not taking the issue seriously, after the failure of Johnson's predecessor Theresa May to take Britain out on March 29, despite repeated promises that she would.

The money will include funding for an additional 500 new immigration officers, on top of 500 already announced earlier this year, to help with potential border and immigration chaos. In addition, 434 million pounds will be spent on logistical arrangements of ensuring medical supplies, and more than 100 million pounds each on measures to help businesses and individuals prepare for life after a potential no-deal Brexit.

"This government could have ruled out no deal, and spent these billions on our schools, hospitals, and people, "said Labour's shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, who said his party would "do all we can to block a no-deal, crash-out Brexit".

His comments were echoed by Labour MP Meg Hillier, chair of the Commons public accounts committee, who attacked the government's increasingly militaristic tone.

"Just because Boris Johnson is making it sound like he's fighting a war, with 7-days-a-week meetings in Whitehall, that is not licence to spend taxpayers' money like water, throwing good money after bad.

"It is of course responsible for a government to be prepared for an emergency. But this is an emergency of the government's own making–boring though it may be that taxpayers' money could be spent on essential public services."

On July 11, 2017 Johnson told Parliament "there is no plan for no deal, because we're going to get a great deal", but with fewer than 100 days to go until the latest, already twice delayed, Brexit departure date, he insists the country will leave on Oct 31, but repeats that no deal is not his preferred option.

Many MPs have made it clear that they will do all they can to block a no-deal Brexit, and Johnson could find his hands tied even more if his government's parliamentary majority of just two seats, propped up by support from Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, is reduced.

On Thursday a byelection took place in the Conservative-held seat of Brecon and Radnorshire. Senior Conservative MPs including former chancellor Philip Hammond and former Attorney General Dominic Grieve have indicated they would be willing to help bring down the government rather than support no deal. Another MP Phillip Lee, said he was "increasingly feeling politically homeless" and was "going to spend the summer thinking a lot".