The government is now “working on the assumption” of a no-deal Brexit, Michael Gove has said.<\/p>\n
Mr Gove said his team still aimed to come to an agreement with Brussels but, writing in the Sunday Times<\/a>, he added: “No deal is now a very real prospect.”<\/p>\n Mr Johnson has made Mr Gove responsible for planning a no-deal Brexit<\/a>.<\/p>\n Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told Mr Gove to chair meetings seven days a week until Brexit is delivered, according to the paper.<\/p>\n Mr Gove said tweaks to Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement – which was approved by the EU but resoundingly rejected by Parliament – would not be enough.<\/p>\n “You can’t just reheat the dish that’s been sent back and expect that will make it more palatable,” he wrote.<\/p>\n He added he hoped EU leaders might yet open up to the idea of striking a new deal, “but we must operate on the assumption that they will not”.<\/p>\n “While we are optimistic about the future, we are realistic about the need to plan for every eventuality.”<\/p>\n Mr Gove highlighted a major flaw of Mrs May’s deal as the Irish backstop plan<\/a> – a measure designed to prevent the introduction of a hard border on the island of Ireland.<\/p>\n So far the backstop has proved a sticking point in the Brexit negotiations.<\/p>\n A no-deal Brexit would mean the UK leaving the EU and cutting ties immediately, with no agreement in place.<\/p>\n The UK would follow World Trade Organization rules if it wanted to trade with the EU and other countries, while also trying to negotiate free-trade deals.<\/p>\n But with Britain outside the EU, there could be physical checkpoints to monitor people and goods crossing in and out of the UK – something ruled out by the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n Speaking to Sky’s Sophy Ridge, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he would do everything to prevent a no-deal Brexit.<\/p>\n He reiterated his call for a new referendum – insisting he would still hold one if Labour were in power – and said, in the event of a no-deal Brexit, Labour would campaign to remain in the EU.<\/p>\n Mr Corbyn also said he would look at whether to call a no-confidence vote in the government after Parliament returns in September.<\/p>\n Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson told Sky that, in the event of a general election, her party’s message would be: “Stop Brexit, stop Boris and start renewing our country.”<\/p>\n Mr Gove is one of several new ministers pressing on with Brexit preparations since joining Mr Johnson’s cabinet<\/a> earlier this week.<\/p>\n Chancellor Sajid Javid has pledged extra funding to help prepare for a no-deal scenario.<\/p>\n Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Javid said there would be “significant extra funding” for 500 new Border Force officers and “possible” improved infrastructure at British ports.<\/p>\n Mr Javid is expected to pledge more money for projects next week.<\/p>\n Who is in charge of what?<\/p>\n Meanwhile, there have been reports of more dissatisfaction within the Conservative Party, as MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit continue to consider ways to avoid it.<\/p>\n The Observer alleges former chancellor Philip Hammond held private talks with Labour’s Brexit spokesman Sir Keir Starmer before Mr Johnson became prime minister.<\/p>\n The pair met shortly after Mr Hammond resigned from the government, the paper said.<\/p>\n Mr Starmer told the paper<\/a> that work to build “a strong cross-party alliance” to prevent a no-deal Brexit would “intensify over the summer”.<\/p>\n But despite several Tory MPs voicing their opposition to Mr Johnson<\/a> in his first week in Downing Street, an opinion poll has suggested a recent boost in support for the party.<\/p>\n\n
No-deal scenario<\/h2>\n
Boris Johnson’s government<\/h2>\n