£2bn cash injection steps up no-deal Brexit preparations

Government departments including the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have been given an extra £2 billion to pay for Brexit planning, raising fears that a chaotic, no-deal exit from the European Union is increasingly likely.

The £2bn, for 2019-20, will be used for core Brexit activity, including deal and no-deal preparations, the government said in a statement issued on 19 December.

“A responsible government prepares for all contingencies and that is why we’re stepping up no-deal planning,” said Chancellor Philip Hammond.