Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called on the Government to immediately release its no-deal impact assessments.
Published by the Sunday Times, leaked government documents warn the UK will be hit with a “meltdown” at its ports, a hard border on the island of Ireland, civil unrest and shortages of food and medicine if it leaves the EU without a deal.
However, despite the documents saying they represent what is known about a no-deal Brexit, Michael Gove – the Cabinet minister responsible for no-deal planning – insisted these represented a “worst-case scenario” and a Downing Street source claimed it had been leaked by a former minister.
Speaking ahead of a roundtable discussion with businesses in Stevenage on Tuesday, Mr Corbyn said that “Boris Johnson’s denials can’t be trusted”.
He added: “The government’s own Operation Yellowhammer dossier makes the chaos and damage that will be caused by Boris Johnson’s no-deal Brexit crystal clear.
“If the government wants to be believed that it doesn’t represent the real impact, it must publish its most recent assessments today in full.
“Boris Johnson’s denials can’t be trusted and will do nothing to give businesses or consumers any confidence that the dire state of affairs described in these documents aren’t right around the corner.
“What we know for sure is that this government is wilfully committed to a policy that the Prime Minister and the Cabinet know will destroy jobs, push up food prices in the shops and open up our NHS to a takeover by US private companies.
“That is a price that Boris Johnson is willing to pay because it won’t be him and his wealthy donors who pay it – it will be the rest of us.
“Boris Johnson’s government wants to use no-deal to create a tax haven for the super-rich on the shores of Europe and sign a sweetheart trade deal with Donald Trump.
“That is why Labour will do everything we can to stop no-deal, protect people’s livelihoods and pull our country back from the brink.”
Earlier in the day, the Labour Leader used a speech in Pen Green Children’s Centre in Corby, Northamptonshire on Monday to set out his vision to rebuild Britain.
A general election triggered by the Brexit crisis will provide a “once-in-a-generation chance” for a change of direction in politics, with Labour prepared to do “everything necessary” to prevent no-deal, Jeremy Corbyn said.
Mr Corbyn said: “Let’s be very clear – we will do everything necessary to stop a disastrous no-deal for which this government has no mandate”.
He added: “Labour believes the decision on how to solve the Brexit crisis must go back to the people. And if there is a general election this autumn, Labour will commit to holding a public vote to give voters the final say with credible options on both sides including the option to remain.
“Three years of Tory failure on Brexit have caused opinions to harden to such a degree that I believe no outcome will now have legitimacy without the people’s endorsement.”
