Cornwall for Europe writes to Cornwall’s MPs and Cornwall Council to ask about emergency planning for a no-deal Brexit

Members of the grassroots campaigning organisation Cornwall for Europe have written to the leader of Cornwall Council and the county's MPs to request information on plans to cope with the local impacts of a no-deal Brexit.

Following recent developments in the Brexit negotiations, the likelihood of this now appears very high.

Some ministers have said there is now a 60 per cent chance of the UK leaving the EU with no agreement as to future trading and legal arrangements, and the immediate consequences of this for people in Cornwall could be severe.

Steve Slade of Cornwall for Europe said: “The failure of Theresa May’s government to come up with a workable Brexit plan has brought this country to the brink of a very real emergency.

“We believe that any Brexit will be highly damaging to our economy, to jobs, to the NHS and to Britain’s standing in the world. But a no-deal Brexit would be the height of irresponsibility

and would represent an immediate threat to the security and wellbeing of Cornwall’s people.

“Our parliamentary representatives and local government leaders have a duty to keep us informed of any plans that have been undertaken to address this threat, and we look forward to hearing what these might be.”

The Government has issued a series of impact assessment papers to prepare for the effects of a no-deal Brexit and many local authorities are also believed to have made emergency plans.

The letter asks whether there are such plans in place for Cornwall. For example:

• Have plans been made for the possibility of food being rationed?

• Will the police be used to control any such rationing?

• Will the military be deployed to keep order?

• Are there plans for the rationing of medicines, and who will be controlling their distribution?

• With the predicted stockpiling of insulin, how will this be distributed?

• How many months-worth of insulin will be allocated for people in Cornwall?

• Will motor fuel be rationed, and prioritised for the emergency services?