Ministers were stockpiling French wine days before Brexit deadline as ‘no deal’ exit loomed
Ministers and officials have been stockpiling French wine and European canned tomatoes as fears grow that leaving the European Union without a deal could lead to food shortages, it has emerged.
Britain is coming dangerously close to leaving the EU without a significant trade deal under Boris Johnson’s leadership, sparking concerns that the cost of imported goods could soar.
Although a deal was reached at the eleventh hour, government officials and officials close to the beleaguered negotiations made sure to stock up on their favorite foods and drinks as talks repeatedly failed to result in a deal.
Servers Independent podcast in the roomformer deputy cabinet secretary Helen MacNamara and former No 10 special adviser Cleo Watson discussed the atmosphere at the heart of the political establishment at the time.
“We are planning for a no-deal exit; if we have to leave the EU without making any arrangements with the European Union, then there is a good chance that importing goods from the EU will be very problematic,” Ms MacNamara said.
“At that point, those of us who were very close to the negotiations were busy buying unfeasible quantities of diced tomatoes and olive oil… French wine.
“You can monitor the self-confidence of civil servants and ministers [in talks] Whether we would come out unscathed or not, what kind of customs duties would be imposed, depended on how much European domestic goods they imported.
“Mainly wine, chopped tomatoes and olive oil.”
The specter of a no-deal Brexit hangs over Britain after a round of negotiations between Brussels and then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s teams broke down.
The government has been under pressure to sign a free trade agreement with Brussels by 11pm on 31 December 2020, when Britain will leave the EU’s single market and customs union.
Talks have soured throughout the year, with the EU and Britain saying a deal between them was “unlikely”, with the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier warning that attempts to issue “ultimatums or threats” would fail, adding: “I don’t think we have time for these games.”
Leaving the trading bloc without a deal would see the country move overnight to World Trade Organization terms for its trading relationship with the UK’s largest and closest trading partner.
This essentially meant imposing tariffs on a range of imports and exports between the UK and the EU, its closest trading bloc.
