Editorial Board
No One Is Ready for a No-Deal Brexit
By pretending to prepare for calamity, the government is deluding itself — and its citizens.
Wrong again.
Photographer: Jack Taylor/Getty Images
With Brexit negotiations paralyzed, and fewer than 100 days till the clock runs out, it’s worth remembering that the U.K. government — despite its assurances — remains entirely unready for a no-deal exit from the European Union. Pretending otherwise helps no one.
In recent weeks, the government has started making some frantic preparations. It has directed 2 billion pounds to no-deal provisions, hired some 10,000 staffers, and redeployed hundreds of civil servants to help shorthanded departments. Rather alarmingly, it’s also putting about 3,500 troops on standby.